


Princes of Fire (Sky Kings 2)

by ShingetsuMoon



Series: Sky Kings [2]
Category: Monster Hunter (Video Games)
Genre: Adventure, Depression, F/F, F/M, Friendship, PTSD, Romance, mental health, monster raising, monster training
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2018-10-23 11:59:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 114,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10718931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShingetsuMoon/pseuds/ShingetsuMoon
Summary: Sequel to A Mother's Love (Sky Kings #1) Raising two young rathalos is never an easy job. Its even more difficult when you have to managed your own mental and emotional health as well. Alistair is finally on the road to recovery but in a world with ever increasing dangers will she be able to raise her rathalos into successful adults? Meanwhile Amai has her zinogre partner Raiden to care for. Together they will help be the start of a new Guild organization. But such training doesn't come without its own risks.





	1. Six Month Marker

 

 

 

The tropical jungle hummed with life. Creatures both large and small calling to one another or sounding a warning for others to stay away. So far Alistair had managed to stay unseen as she crept through the thick foliage. Not an easy task with two six month old rathalos in tow. Both of them had a pretty good amount of growing to do yet before they reached their adult stage but even now they could easily look her straight in the eyes or even glance over her head when they rose up as in Ginouji's case. He was clearly going to be bigger then his brother and it was starting to show more and more.

Despite their rapidly growing size, however, they were both able to move with near perfect stealth even through such a dense jungle as this one. Now more then ever Alistair could see that all the training she had been doing with them was paying off. Everything she had been working so hard to teach was showing through right now. Light footsteps through the jungle, shifting position or carefully adjusting their wings and other limbs so that the foliage they had rubbed up against wouldn't snap back and alert the prey they were tracking. Communication was soft or made through body language when possible to avoid causing too much noise.

At the three month mark, Alistair had taken them out and started sending them after larger prey then just fish and crustaceans. They were needing more and more food to keep them going so it was only fair that their training be adjusted as well. First kelbi, then at four months she had started taking them up against mosswine, slow placid herbivores that did little in the way of self defense. At five months they went up against their first bullfango and got a taste of how much an angry herbivore could fight back. Both Ginouji and Akairo had come away with some nasty bruises but it hurt their confidence and pride more so then their bodies. It had taken some coaxing to get them to go back out again and when they had they had been soundly beaten again when they both got angry and frustrated rather then scared. But once they finally did take down their first few bullfango there was no stopping them. That hunt had taught them to respect the prey they were taking down but also had shown them that they could fight against other monsters and win if they kept their training in mind, worked together and didn't allow their anger or frustration to get the better of them.

_Now you guys are six months old,_ Alistair thought, pausing to look to her left and right to make sure Akairo and Ginouji were in position. Both of them bobbed their heads in acknowledgment when they saw her looking their way, silently signaling that they were paying attention to her and waiting on her cue to go. _Time to move up again,_ she considered creeping forward a few steps and gently pushing a bush out of her line of sight.

All morning they had been following a herd of aptonoth. There were little to no small babies which was what Alistair wanted. She wanted Ginouji and Akairo to go after one of the juveniles which was a bit bigger then they were but not so large that they didn't stand a chance of taking it down. She had her eyes on one juvenile that was a rather nice size. The fact that it wandered around alone instead of sticking close to one of the larger members was a good sign that it was alone. Technically speaking it was old enough to fend for itself but it should still be sticking as close as possible to its mother at that age. The fact that it wasn't meant that the parent was likely dead. It may be cruel but it meant that there was less of a chance that one of the other adults would stick around to protect a juvenile that wasn't their own. It also mean less of a chance that Ginouji or Akairo would be trampled.

Unlike their previous failures whenever they had moved up to a different monster on the food chain, Alistair had a feeling they were going to succeed the first time with this hunt. Both of them had really been paying attention and their play had faded away into more focused fighting. Alistair had even caught them practicing different moves against each other or with each other working together. It was a good thing they listened and loved her so much because their level of understanding frankly scared her a bit at times, it was rising a lot more sharply then she initially expected.

_Time to do this,_ Alistair thought raising a hand up and waiting as both Akairo and Ginouji immediately glanced over her way. This lesson today was about patience and observation. There were plenty of ways a hunt could fail and when they did fail they went hungry. That more then anything else had torn at Alistair's heart, seeing her babies looking at her or whining with hunger after two days of not catching anything substantial. She had cried over it in bed more then a few times at the sight but if they wanted to survive then they needed tough love. They might leave one day or even just head farther out and take up a territory in the surrounding jungle. Alistair wasn't going to put them at a disadvantage because she couldn't do what was necessary to teach them when they were younger. They needed to understand that she couldn't do everything for them.

_You understand now don't you? A failed hunt doesn't just mean you don't eat, if you did something stupid or weren't paying attention and got hurt then it could affect your chances for next time. You've done that several times before but you know better now don't you? You're smarter then that now aren't you?_ Alistair thought pointing her hand straight at the juvenile aptonoth that was grazing on some berry bushes at the edge of the herd.

Ginouji and Akairo chuffed in understanding and made a few signals to each other before starting to move. Ginouji headed straight for the edge of the foliage they were hiding in, ready to burst out at any moment. Meanwhile, Akairo moved behind her getting as close to the aptonoth as he thought possible, ultimately settling just 20 feet away. He was far closer then Alistair had expected him to go. There was no wind blowing and she couldn't help but notice that he was standing right in a patch of swamp cabbage. It was at the stage yet were it hadn't started letting of the noxious smell it was famous for but it still provided a strong enough vegetable smell that it masked his scent.

A few more seconds passed with only the sounds of jungle life around them before Ginouji burst from cover with as loud a cry as he could manage. Their voices had deepened a good bit but it still wasn't quite the powerful and frightening roar of an adult. That would have to wait until they were at least a year or two old. Still it was more then enough to panic the herd. The clearing they were in had a large space between the trees leading back towards the river over to the left. As expected the aptonoth turned headed straight that way instead of crashing through the jungle.

The juvenile aponoth immediately moved to go after them but pulled up with a sharp frantic cry when Akairo came roaring out of the forest and skidded to a stop right in front of it. Honking in alarm it backed up in fear before snorting and lowering its head to charge instead. Akairo easily jumped aside and ducked in to bite at one of its front legs biting down enough to cause injury but Alistair was pleased to see that he didn't try and hold on. At one point a couple months ago Akairo would have held on for dear life even though doing so would put him in a terrible position where he could easily be tossed aside or stepped on.

Now Akairo got his bite in and jumped back again as the aptonoth swung around and tried to get in another headbutt. When he danced back out of range again the young aptonoth tried to go in the direction the rest of the herd had gone but they had already gotten to the river and were crashing through the water as fast as they could go. Satisfied that they were going to keep going, Ginouji turned around and came back to provide support for his brother. Now he stood there blocking the only clear exit out of the clearing, glancing back twice to ensure that none of the heard head turned back around.

The aptonoth snorted and shifted its weight back and forth taking a glance over at the jungle edge. Going through the forest would slow it down and leave a visible trail for them to follow. Its only choice was to chase them off here.

Alistair saw the moment it realized this and tensed up in reflex as it ducked its head and charged Ginouji head on trying to shove past him if possible. This time when Ginouji moved aside the apotonoth didn't miss a beat and followed his movements while swinging their tail back and forth to try and warn off Akairo as well. It snorted and painfully lifted the leg Akairo had bitten in order to get some weight off it.

_Now what are you going to do?_ Alistair wondered watching them with one hand on her switch ax. The only time she would intervene was if she thought they were in very serious danger. This time when the aptonoth charged Ginouji held his ground and his sides puffed out as he sucked in a breath before belching it out in a visible cloud gas before jumping backwards and coughing up fiery embers. It wasn't much and it was a laughable excuse for fire but it was more then enough to ignite the gasses Ginouji had just belched out. The small embers and gas erupted into a far bigger explosion of fire then Alistair was expecting, Ginouji too judging from the way he startled backwards in surprise. This was the first time Alistair had seen this particular trick but it would explain the mysterious burn scars on the grass that had been cropping up in the back yard of Rain's house that no one could figure out.

However, it did produce the desired effect and the aptonoth skidded to a stop as fire swirled in their face and licked against their scales. Bleating in panic it scrambled to turn around away from the fire, but Akairo was already there only this time instead of using his teeth he whipped his tail around and drove his own tail spikes straight into the aptonoth's injured leg. Already off balance it now went crashing to the ground on its side. Without hesitation Ginouji recovered from his surprise and dove in latching his teeth onto the aptonoth's throat while Akairo went for the back of the neck.

It was only now that Alistair grimaced and looked away. Yes she hunted and often killed monsters for a living and yes she knew that carnivores like rathalos needed meat in order to survive and stay healthy but watching an animal get its throat opened up and bleed to death or its spine broken was really something she could do without seeing.

_And even that is a lot faster and nicer then what many would do to their prey,_ Alistair thought with a shudder at the memories of prey she had seen taken down and feasted upon while still alive. The first time she caught Akairo and Ginouji toying with their prey in such away and teasing the petrified creature rather then killing it straight off she had been furious. No monster she raised was going to play with their food like that. It was too cruel. Not every hunt could go smoothly but once they had their prey down or dead Alistair had taken the time to show them where to bite it in order to kill it the fastest and with the least pain. Seeing a monster linger in death like that had always bothered her.

Alistair wasn't sure if it would even mean anything to them beyond a way to get more food without getting hurt but to her surprise they had started following it. Not just during those moments when she was actively watching them the way they did with some of her lessons (much to her frustration) but even when she was positive that they didn't know they were being watched. She doubted they understood why she asked them to do things that way but then again maybe they did.

Looking back she saw that the aptonoth was now most definitely dead and Akairo and Ginouji had started to feast. Once they ate their fill she would carve up the rest of the monster, wrap it up so it would last on the trip back town and then when they were there she would put it in the new underground storage system Rain had set up especially for occasions like this. It had cost a lot of money and Alistair had insisted that it wasn't necessary but Rain just shrugged it off with the explanation that she needed something to spend her money on anyway. Alistair wasn't sure how it worked just that it had vents and was surprisingly cold down there and didn't require electricity aside from a light that turned on and off so she could see while she was down there.

_Must be nice being that rich that you can just throw money at stuff like that,_ Alistair thought bemused as she relaxed and went back to grab the bags she had set down a little ways back. Even with sunset happening so late it was still going to be full dark by the time they got back home. Might as well settle down and wait for both rathalos to eat their fill. This meal would easily last them at least through tomorrow. Plus the rest of the carcass would feed them for another day or so after that. She always made sure to save what she could and feed them as much as they wanted from it in the days after a successful hunt to help positively reinforce that this was theirs.

Walking back Alistair dropped the bags at the foot of a tree and after checking that there were no small creatures or insects who might come buzzing angrily at her, she sat down with her back to the trunk and settled in to wait until Akairo and Ginouji were finished.

* * *

The second they came within sight of Rain's house Jasper the crimson qurupeco was racing over to greet them. He circled them all excitedly a few times and looked at the bundles of wrapped meat that both rathalos were carrying on their backs and sides. He still bore a scar on his beak from when he had gotten too close one time and Akairo and Ginouji had beat him soundly. Of course they only beat Jasper because he was surprised and off guard but even so he hadn't done that again.

"Welcome back mighty hunter! Flame wings have good hunt yes yes? Not get hurt?"Jasper asked curiously. Alistair laughed and rubbed his lower jaw.

"Yes we had a very good hunt. They took down a spike tail all on their own. Never even got hit," Alistair said as Jasper hummed happily at her attention. Technically he was wild born and still considered a wild monster but he also clearly preferred being around people, although he was very particular about who he actually spoke around.

"Flame wings do very good! Learn more, learn better," Jasper said with a sage nod before turning to address both rathalos, "Listen to mother always. She knows best, will make you big powerful flame wings. No one will be able to stop you!" he said and both of them growled and snorted in response. She caught their signals for _train_ , _fight_ which they used with each other when they wanted to practice, along with _why_ which they used when they didn't understand something and needed Alistair to show them again or explain it better.

"Jasper not teach fighting and hunting. Mother better for that. Mother know best. I eat fish. Easy catch when know how. I teach you people talk and how to fly. Getting closer and closer. Start teach gliding soon," Jasper responded with firm assurance.

Once again Alistair found herself wondering how much her rathalos understood about what was going on around them. Clearly they understood human speech but then again why shouldn't they when it was all they had ever known growing up?

_Still I want to talk to Skye about it. We're supposed to go by the research center tomorrow for their monthly checkup and the wyvern expert she's been communicating with has finally arrived after finishing up their latest task farther south. Maybe they will be able to tell me more about whether this is normal and what to expect going forward. I also want to find out how fast they should be growing and when they'll reach their adult stage, the information I have know is pretty old and fairly limited in scope,_ Alistair thought with a yawn. She still needed to put the meat in storage, put her weapon and armor away and take a shower to get herself clean before she could go to bed.

The local flock of halk that had hung around Ginouji and Akairo when they were babies was still around all these months later. Both rathalos were particular about keeping their scales clean and it hadn't taken long at all for the halk to figure out that helping to give the two rathalos a bath by scrubbing at their scales with the sponges Alistair left in a basket nearby made them more inclined to share or give the halk meat scraps in return the next time they ate.

Tonight though it looked like both of them just wanted to get to bed. With their size now they had to sleep outside and Alistair was not ashamed to admit that she may have begged Rain to set up a special covered area on the ground for them to sleep in. It provided protection from both the sun and rain. She had tried setting up cushions for them inside but they had quickly made it clear they didn't want them by tossing them aside. They preferred the soft sand or a simple monster hide blanket stretched out underneath them and yes, Ginouji still kept the black blanket he carried around as a hatchling with him when he slept. It had been quite an adjustment for them at first since they had been used to sleeping with her all the time, but now they clearly loved it and stayed in there almost every night with Raiden who had also grown too big to be kept inside the house. None of them were inclined to wander very far yet but Jasper was there pretty much every night to settle down and ensure that they didn't decide to explore too far.

"All right let's take care of this so I can go to bed and get some rest," Alistair said as they walked up to the house. As soon as the packs of meat were taken off their backs both rathalos nuzzled her affectionately before yawning and heading off to go to bed. Once the meat was stored away underground where it was cool enough to keep them from spoiling she closed and closed the doors, double checking the lock.

For a moment Alistair hesitated before giving into temptation. A bath and cleaning up could wait until tomorrow. She had been trudging through the jungle since before the sun came up tracking the aptonoth all across creation, eating dried fruit and smoked meat, she stank just as much as her rathalos did after a kill and she just wanted to sleep. Clean up could wait until tomorrow morning.

"Okay guys make some room for me," Alistair muttered to herself as she walked past Jasper who had curled up and gone back to sleep again with his head resting back between his wings. Seiva was on the bank and snorted as she passed by but didn't wake up. A glowing circle was the only evidence of where Shurika was sleeping underwater deeper out in the water. It took a second before Alistair realized she was looking around trying to find Raiden and Amai.

_That's right she took him out on a quest trying to track down a duramboros that's been moving through the area. The researchers just want to know where its heading and if it plans to stay or is just passing through. Amai is using this as a chance to teach Raiden how to track better,_ Alistair remembered suddenly. They had left this morning even earlier then she had in fact. It would likely be at least another two days or so before they got back.

Alistair felt a warm glow of pride for the young hunter. Amai had really been working hard and her own training with Raiden was coming along very well. Amai may be young but she clearly knew what she was doing. Raiden was going to grow up into an intelligent and loyal zinogre; one she could rely on through anything. He was still a puppy and certainly still acted like it, but he loved being trained. Training meant he was spending time with Amai and if he got better at it then it meant a greater chance that he would get to come along on Amai's next Guild quest. There was nothing Raiden loved more then being out there helping her to hunt, track or capture monsters. Even if he still had a lot to learn and a long ways to go.

Approaching the hut where Ginouji and Akairo were sleeping, Alistair took off her armor until she was down to the tank top and shorts she wore underneath it all. Carefully her switch ax against the wall next to her armor she stretched and enjoyed the feeling of having all of that weight off her again. Heading through the large open doorway she hummed a greeting and got two replies back in return.

Smiling, Alistair went over and got down on the open space between Ginouji and Akairo who made happy noises at having their mother join them for the night. She didn't do this frequently because she always woke up incredibly sore the next morning, especially after a hunt, but for tonight she didn't care. Besides when Akairo shuffled closer and opened his wing to extend over her while Ginouji pressed his head up against her stomach she knew that all of this effort and work was worth it.

Closing her eyes, Alistair put an arm behind her head got comfortable between them to sleep for the night.

  
 


	2. Healing and Hunting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the guest who left kudos on this story! You appreciation is appreciated!

It was the feeling of being watched that woke Alistair up. Sure enough when she lifted her head there was Rain leaning in the open entrance of the hut watching her.

"I was debating whether to kick your foot to wake you up, let you sleep, or throw a bucket of water on you and give you a head start on your bath," Rain teased with a grin as Alistair blinked against the light of the rising sun. She elbowed Akairo under his wing until he pulled it back with a snort and shifted position so he was lying the other way. Ginouji required her to actually lift up his head and move it when he refused to wake up enough to move on his own.

"Yeah, good morning to you too," Alistair grumbled, scratching her head and yawning. Rain sniffed and took a big step back.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to see you and incredibly relieved to see that things apparently went well, but... wow do you reek right now. I'll put your armor up on the porch but the first thing you are doing when you enter my house is taking a bath. Leave your clothes outside the bathroom door and I'll dump them on the laundry pile," Rain said not bothering to hide her grimace. Alistair hesitated for a moment before a wicked grin spread across her face.

"But you're so happy to see me. Don't you just want to give me a big hug?" Alistair asked, taking a step closer with her arms spread. Rain jumped backwards and held up her hands in warning.

"Come any closer and I swear I will dump you in the lake smelling like that," Rain warned, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Oh settle down I'm not that cruel," Alistair assured, stepping over Ginouji's tail as Rain went over and picked up the armor Alistair had left on the ground last night.

"You want to have a smoke before you go to visit your sister or afterwards?" Rain asked and Alistair responded with a slight flinch. When she failed to answer, Rain stopped and glowered deeply at her over the pile of armor in her arms a sight that made Alistair fidget uncomfortably. "I know you don't like smoking cannabis and you don't like the idea of being emotionally dependent on it, but it is helping... quite a bit actually. You've made more progress over these past couple months then you have in all the time since you got sick," she added in a pleading tone that made Alistair feel more guilty then ever.

The cannabis was helping. _Really_ helping. Not just with her PTSD but with her anxiety as well. She also met with a group of other people coping with PTSD once a week with her doctor directing the group. There were even days when Alistair felt like her old self again.

_But that doesn't mean I have to like it,_ Alistair thought, while staring down at her feet. The practice of growing only certain strains of plants, splicing them, or altering them for special properties had been around since people first started farming. While this strain of cannabis may not be physically addicting it still couldn't quite settle Alistair's worry that she would start using it as a crutch. In her mind there would always be the risk that she would start depending on it every time she ran into something she felt she couldn't handle instead of working through it on her own like she was learning how to do again.

When Alistair still failed to provide an answer, Rain moved closer to her, despite the smell.

"I know how much you worry about becoming dependent on it to deal with your problems. Especially when it comes to your anxiety around your family. Why don't you do it after we get back from seeing your sister? That way if something comes up you'll have a chance to deal with it on your own?" Rain offered more gently. Alistair relaxed at that and nodded slowly.

"I'd like that better. I'm... I'm sorry for getting so uptight about it... I just..." Alistair started but stopped when Rain shook her head.

"Please don't apologize. I'm sorry for pushing you. It's just that you're doing so well now that you've started using it. I understand why you don't like it I just..." Rain stopped and hesitated, the worried crease between her eyes reappearing.

"You don't want me to start getting worse again," Alistair said softly. After everything she had been through so far she honestly couldn't blame Rain for worrying and wasn't angry at her for being protective. Rain had spent time, energy and far more of her own money then Alistair first realized getting her the help that she so desperately needed. "I'll try to get better about using it... well without complaining or trying to avoid it at least," she offered meekly. "For now though I'll settle for a nice bath and a hot breakfast," she added hopefully and Rain relaxed at that.

"Don't worry I'm already on it. An omelet filled with all the stuff you like along with freshly cooked bacon and pancakes. So you'd better hurry and get cleaned up because I'm starving," Rain said and the thought of it put an extra spring in Alistair's step. Getting a nice meal two or three times a day was so much better then choking down hunter rations or skimping by on her own paltry cooking skills. It was also much better then trying to cook meat out in the wildness over a campfire while at the same time worrying that a monster would smell it and come by to interrupt.

Once inside Alistair allowed herself a little time to linger in the hot shower. The more she went out the more she appreciated being able to come back and relax like this. It was hard to believe sometimes that she had once done quests obsessively, grabbing each one that she could in order to avoid staying in cities or villages for too long. It was nice to look back and see the change. There was still a long way to go but any improvement was better then languishing in one spot for years or even getting worse.

_I've been doing really well meeting with my sister each week and now a few days each week. Next up is my parents. I finally wrote them to let them know I was still alive and I've been sending letters ever since. My mom told me in the last letter that her and dad want to come here to visit. She thinks it will be easier on me if they come here instead of me going back to visit them and face all those memories. Can't really argue with that logic,_ Alistair thought with a heavy sigh as the hot water soothed the muscles that were aching from the hunt yesterday.

_My doctor would tell me that it's just the next hurdle I have to face in my recovery. He'd tell me how great I've been doing and that having them come here instead would be a good idea,_ Alistair thought reaching around blindly for the soap bar. _I can do this. I can do this. I can see them again and I can handle it this time... I hope._

* * *

As far as missions went this one was turning out to be pretty easy so far in Amai's opinion. It had been submitted by Aureus at the Guild station. Aside from helping to consult on Ginouji and Akairo's care he also helped her with Raiden's care and sometimes submitted quests to the guild. They were generally pretty simple and provided a great way to train Raiden without involving him in any serious danger. A lot of hunters tended to pass over them since they rarely involved actually hunting or killing a monster. When Amai saw Aureus' name attached to another quest this time she quickly skimmed the details and then grabbed it. This one in particular was just the kind of thing she had been looking for.

For the past day or so Amai had been tracking an older adult male duramboros that had been spotted traveling through the jungle. The quest outline said to follow him and try to get an idea of where he was going. Was it going to remain here or just pass through?

Amai shifted the charge ax on her back and looked up at Raiden who easily stood a little above her head now. He was almost halfway towards his adult size already but was still surprisingly vulnerable in spite of it. Young zinogre depended on their parents for a lot and didn't learn to hunt as early in life as most predatory monsters did. Zinogre normally wouldn't even start to be included in a hunt with their mother and father until they were close to a year old. Their electrical abilities would experience a sharp rise in power around that time as well signaling that they were reaching adulthood and were ready to begin fending for themselves. Growing up quickly to their adult size helped offset the vulnerability and danger they faced from developing a bit slower then the predators around them.

_Tigrex and rathian can be some of a zinogre's biggest threats. Tigrex can hunt small prey practically from birth and rathian hunt from the ground. She'll destroy any young predators in her territory that might end up being a threat to her own babies,_ Amai thought once again glancing at the sky. The direction they had gone in took them well inside Big Blue and Scarlett's territory. She had occasionally caught sight of the azure rathalos flying overhead but his mate was yet to be seen and hopefully things would stay that way.

"This quest may have turned out easy so far but that doesn't mean I'm not stressed out," Amai muttered to herself as Raiden thumped his tail and sparked happily. He was so thrilled to be out with her learning how to track monsters that he was glowing. Amai had worried that the glow would attract too much attention and had tried to calm him down but finally gave up when it became clear he was having none of it.

Having fulgur bugs flitting about Raiden all the time was another thing that had taken some getting used to. She had noticed one or two one he was a puppy but now there was a constant entourage following him around. On the other hand they did keep his fur and skin clear of other bugs, ticks and nasty parasites though so she was grateful for that. Amai was not a bug person but they were a part of a healthy zinogre's life. Thankfully she had gotten better at tolerating the insects and letting them know that she was _not_ going to just sit around and get zapped by them whenever they felt like discharging energy.

A sudden groaning noise caught Amai's attention and she looked over at Raiden to see if he would pick up on it himself or if she would have to point it out to him. It took about five more seconds before he stiffened and turned his head in the direction of the noise. At first it sounded just like the groaning of a tree moving and that was exactly what she had been listening for all this time.

Raiden stopped glowing and lowered his body closer to the ground and into the bushes. Looking back at her he pricked his ears curiously before looking back in the direction the noise had come from. Amai smiled warmly and kissed his muzzle to let him know he had done well. Using a hand signal they had practiced already she told him to go and search. Moving ahead as quietly as he could, which to be honest wasn't really very well yet, Raiden moved towards the sound which continued in starts and stops.

Even still they walked about a quarter of a mile with the sound growing louder and louder the whole way before they spotted the monster they were after. Duramboros, a giant mountain of a beast and the biggest thing Amai had ever laid eyes on.

Sucking in a sharp breath, Amai put a hand on Raiden's back signaling him to stop and wait. Not that he had any problem with that. He was frozen stiff as well and judging from the way his ears had fallen back he wasn't eager to go any farther either.

Amai was more familiar with monsters who lived in the mountains and caves of the tundra but still she could tell from size and the moss growth that this one was pretty old. A few years past his prime but by no means slowing down or getting weaker yet. Currently he was busy scratching an itch by rubbing up against a large tree.

Settling into a crouch, Amai carefully shifted the weapon on her back and took out a notebook and something to write with instead. Working quickly she decided to capture the image and sketched a picture of the giant male. The finer details she could fill in later. Flipping to the next page she took a few notes about his size, appearance, behavior and attitude. Amai had made sure to do at least some research before going on this quest so she had a general idea of what she was dealing with. Even if she didn't plan on fighting it some basics were still good to know. The monster guide she looked at had indicated that duramboros were generally very calm monsters but could swing towards extreme aggression if bothered or surprised. Senses were comparable to that of the average human. Their memory, though, was highly superior.

Tapping her chin, Amai thought for a moment before quickly writing down a few more notes.

_Duramboros have almost perfect memories. Possible this male lived her before? Remembers fertile ground and good foliage and decided to come back?_

Amai heard a roar and quickly shoved the notebook and pencil in her bag with one hand as the other reached back for her weapon. The angry roar wasn't directed at her however. A split second later a younger, smaller male came crashing through the trees throwing splinters and tossing up dirt. Slamming his tail on the ground he huffed and roared a challenge at the old male. For a moment the older duramboros paused, straightening up to get a good look at his opponent. Amai could clearly see him sizing up the youngster who was probably a quarter of his age if that. With a snort that was clearly dismissive he turned and bent over, taking a huge mouthful of ferns and pulling them up to chew on.

Apparently this youngster was not even worth addressing. For a monster to turn their back on an angry challenger was a pretty clear message that they weren't worth the time.

Puffing himself up as much as he could the young monster stomped and pawed at the ground with more anger then before. Lowering his head he charged the old male without hesitation taking him in a direction that thankfully took him well away from Amai who was ready to bolt at a moment's notice.

Looking up the old male actually sighed in a way that sounded more resigned then anything. Raising his tail he whipped around and slammed the giant mass into the younger monster with enough force that it sent him clear off his feet and through a stand of trees with an enormous crash. A flock of birds took to the air crying in alarm as dirt flew up everywhere. Squealing in surprise the young male just lay on the ground for a moment the breath knocked out of him as the old duramboros stalked over and slammed his tail down incredibly close to his head. He did this twice before turning around and putting his foot down on the young male's head. Bending over he roared in the youngster's face before backing off and letting him stand.

This time the young male cowered and pressed himself against the ground submissively and with that the dispute was over. With a grumble of half annoyance and half satisfaction the old male grabbed a mouth full of leaves, limbs, and fruit from a nearby tree and slowly strolled off munching on it all the while. After a moment he stopped and looked back behind him. The young male scrambled to his feet and hurried after him, keeping a fair distance and his body language submissive.

Both of them headed off together into the deeper jungle towards some swamps that Amai remembered seeing on a map. Sighing in relief, Amai relaxed and took out her notebook again. She wrote out what just happened along with a couple more rough sketches of the two duramboros. Once that was done she put the notebook away and wrapped her arms around Raiden's neck.

"Good job boy! I think we're ready to go home now," Amai said giving him another kiss. The fulgur bugs around him flashed a few times, discharging the electricity they had built up in anticipation of fighting. With a few sparks they settled a bit and flittered back down into his fur and onto his tough hide ready for travel again.

"Let's head back and see how Alistair did with her babies shall we? Although I suppose we can't really call you guys that anymore can we? This should be enough for Aureus' research," Amai said and Raiden growled and bumped her shoulder affectionately before they turned and headed back towards Tanzia Port and the Research Center.

* * *

"So how did it go?" Aureus asked, practically bouncing on his heels in anticipation. Amai couldn't help but laugh at his reaction. She hadn't even gotten inside the building yet. She had come around the side of the property and decided to see if she could sneak up to the bar area in the back to grab some water before handing in her discovery. Aureus had just been coming out and had immediately wanted to know how things went.

Amai handed him her notebook before taking a long swig of water from her glass. Man that felt good after trudging through the forest. She had gotten a little better at dealing with the heat but still she was from the land of eternal snow and miniscule spring season. Humid, steaming jungles just were not for her.

"I like the suggestion that the old male might have lived here before. It makes sense and would explain why he was moving around so directly and naturally obstacles dangerous spots that a foreign monster wouldn't know about the way you show earlier in your notebook. We were worried about that young male as well. To be honest we were hoping that this would happen," Aureus said, his voice slightly muffled from behind the notebook.

"Really? That the old duramboros would stay or that he would slap around the young guy who already had a territory here?" Amai asked, pressing the cool glass to her forehead. She wondered if she could get away with ordering a pitcher and dumping it over her head to cool off. Raiden was off playing tag with a mostly tame kecha wacha that lived on the research grounds. Emphasis on the word mostly. Still it wasn't dangerous which was the most important part.

"Both actually. We were hoping that the old male was looking to stay here although I admit I hadn't considered that he might be returning to an old territory he had years ago. That youngster though has been wandering around like an angry, albeit very large, child throwing dangerous temper tantrums and basically destroying anything and any monster that gets in his way. This older duramboros seems like he intends on staying and he clearly isn't going to tolerate that kind of behavior. So our young male should calm down quite a bit and get in line now," Aureus explained as he put the notebook down and slid it back over to her.

"So the balance of the jungle is restored. Glad I could help out. I think I'm going to take a few days off though. Running around in this heat is killing me. I thought summer was supposed to be over?" Amai complained as she put her head down on the table.

"Give it another month and then the humidity will go away. It never really gets cold here but it will be a lot more pleasant around here. Especially for a northerner like you," Aureus teased and Amai cracked an eye open but decided to let that jab go. A thought occurred to her and she lifted her head up suddenly.

"Oh what time is it by the way? I think Alistair was supposed to come by today to spend time with her sister. I don't want to interfere if she's here," Amai asked curiously.

"I'm not sure. If not then she should be arriving any time now. I'll go ask around. Ginoji and Akairo can hang out here in the garden with Raiden while Alistair and her sister talk if she wants. Let me go check," Aureus said getting up and heading towards one of the back doors leading inside.

Settling back in her chair, Amai finished off the rest of her water and tried to gauge whether or not she had enough time to close her eyes for a quick nap. Voices coming towards her quickly dissuaded her of that idea however.

"Please make sure to stay on the path kids. The monsters you see here are not fully tame. I've been assured that as long as you leave them alone they'll be fine, but don't make a lot of noise and don't try to touch them or get too close without a researcher nearby to show you what to do okay?"

Amai looked up to see two middle aged women and a man leading or following a group of kids down a path leading from the front of the building. The tops they wore both had symbols stitched on to them showing they were from the local orphanage. Must be on a field trip or something.

_It's nice that they're doing that for the kids though. I need to call Raiden back just in case. He's never been around kids before and I don't want to take any chances,_ Amai thought straightening up with a yawn. She started to stretch as another though popped into her head.

A group of kids was here. At the same time Alistair was coming to spend time with her sister, something that still caused her a lot of stress and anxiety as it was. There were so many ways this could end up badly.

Jumping to her feet, Amai whistled a sharp call to Raiden for him to come back. Rain always came with Alistair during these trips, even if she ultimately went off to do something else while Alistair and Skye spent time together. Amai had to find her and give her a heads up just in case.


	3. Adjusting Course

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll notice that this chapter might overturn some of what I've said about rathalos and rathian behavior before. There is a reason for that and the idea came from the fact that biologists have realized that some research about wolf pack behavior is in fact inaccurate due to the fact that captive wolf packs were studied and not wild ones. There has even been research done that shows that lab mice react differently to men then they do to women and it's possible that this reaction could have been affecting test results for years. I wish I had implemented this idea before but I'll try my best to smooth things over now.
> 
> Also this will not be the last you see of Rashid so keep an eye out for him to appear again in future chapters

Over the past few months Alistair had learned a lot about her rapidly growing babies. Their personalities were becoming more firmly set as well as their tastes and preferences. Akairo didn't mind people overall and didn't mind crowds. Ginouji didn't like crowds at all, but he would tolerate them so long as people left him alone.

Akairo loved sweet foods and even fruit when he got a hold of it. Ginouji had come to prefer spicy foods. Akairo inhaled whatever food was put in front of him the second it appeared, while his brother was decidedly more picky about what he ate. If waiting meant a chance of Alistair or Rain preparing it or putting spices on it then Ginouji would gladly sit there patiently. Both of them loved seafood though regardless of how it was made.

Another thing they had learned was how to compensate for their growing weight and strength by being less rough when they interacted with Alistair and Rain.

Most of all though, their ability to observe and figure things out was rapidly getting better. Puzzles that had been unsolvable before were now completed in seconds. Their ability to work together to accomplish what they wanted rather then trying to do it alone had improved greatly. Rather then growing apart they had been growing closer and closer to each other as time went on.

Ginouji was the more intelligent of the two when it came to figuring things out, but he always used his intelligence to help his brother rather then take advantage of him. While out hunting Ginouji was more likely to come up with a trap or strategy, but Akairo was more likely to notice things that could affect them.

One one particular occasion Akairo was the first to notice that a Great Jaggi was not only in the area, but had doubled back around to stalk and observe them. Another time he stopped Ginouji seconds before he would have dashed out to try and take down a young aptonoth. Confused, Ginouji hesitated just as a najarala darted out from it's hiding place and grabbed a larger adult. Alistair shuddered to think that one of her babies could have been an easy meal if not for Akairo noticing something was wrong.

As for some of their other acquired habits Alistair was hoping to ask questions about those today.

Sky had been working hard to get an expert rathalos and rathian researcher to come here to the Tanzia research center so he could look over Ginouji and Akairo himself and offer up some help as they continued to grow. For the past few months he had been busy with his own research near a volcanic region farther north. Now that he was finished with that he had finally arrived in Tanzia earlier in the week. Alistair was hopeful and excited to be able to get some insight from someone with more experience and observation in this area.

They were in one of the big indoor exam areas and he was currently looking over the medical records and observations Sky had been making. Rashid was his name and his darker skin and flowing robes suggested that he was from one of the desert tribes. He had a confident, aristocratic manner and knew his stuff, but he wasn't arrogant about it the way some researchers could be. The opposite was true, in face he had been surprisingly humble since they started talking.

Too bad Alistair wasn't able to pay full attention thanks to her two conniving rathalos children. Alistair had learned long ago how to recognize when they were plotting something and right now they were most definitely up to no good. The gleam in their eyes was unmistakable and they were staring at the gold jewelry Rashid wore just a bit too intensely.

Alistair glared over at Akairo who had gone to stand next to the man. Upon noticing his mother's look, Akairo sidled away again while giving her an innocent look in return.

_You aren't fooling anyone with that angelic look you little trouble maker,_ Alistair thought still giving him a frown until he backed up a few more steps.

"You've been taking excellent care of them. Their broad diet and being able to hunt for themselves lately clearly agrees with them. I've never seen such healthy young rathalos before. Their muscles are strong, teeth growing in nicely and their scales are shining! I'm most interested in their wings. Their shape and muscles are far stronger and more defined then I would have expected at this stage. They are months ahead of what I would have expected. How have you been training them?" Rashid asked. He gently extended Ginouji's wing and ran his hands along the muscles along the rathalos' body.

"When I first arrived here I thought it best to show them how to swim. There's a large body of water in the backyard of where I stay and the ocean is a short distance away. Not to mention the rivers all over. I wanted to know that they would know how to swim if something ever happened. Both of them loved it and now they go swimming almost every day. They primarily use their wings while swimming so that's helped them build up a lot of strength they might not have otherwise," Alistair explained as Ginouji hummed and pulled on his wing. Rashid got the hint and let him go allowing Ginouji to run back over to his mom's side.

Crouching down, Alistair wrapped her arms around him and whispered what a good boy he was for being patient. It was easy to see that his patience with being examined and prodded was starting to reach its already short limits. Ginouji nuzzled into her neck and sighed happily as she scratched under his wings.

"There's one thing I've been wanting to ask you," Alistair said as she stood up. Ginouji curled around her legs behind her making it clear that he was done being inspected for the day. "I've been reading as much as I can about previous studies but the most extensively reported and published one doesn't fit with what I've seen happen in the wild so I haven't been giving it much weight in my own efforts to raise these two," she explained pausing to give Akairo another warning look as he leaned in to sniff the gold bracelet wrapped around Rashid's left wrist.

Rashid noticed and laughed as Akairo ducked his head and scampered back to Alistair's side when she pointed her finger down at the spot beside her.

"To answer your question I believe I know which one you're talking about. They did a study with a group of egg hatched rathalos and discovered that once they reached their juvenile stage they became much more difficult to handle and more prone to fighting. All of them left and all but two or so returned to their handlers after a few years. That study?" Rahid asked her. When Alistair nodded he stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"That study is... hmm. There have been more studies done after that and each one arrived at similar conclusions but that doesn't mean their methods are the ones you should be following. Indeed I'm glad to see that you have read it but ultimately decided to follow your own course when raising your young hatchlings here," Rashid explained.

"You see the thing is that the most widely published knowledge available is mostly centered around captive monsters. Being in captivity can change some monsters behavior while others remain relatively unaffected. The problem being it can be difficult to distinguish which behaviors are different unless you extensively study both the wild and captive species. Monster taming has been around for centuries with many tribes, nations and civilizations. However with the advent of better publishing methods and transportation we are now able to circulate this knowledge outside of those communities. However that circulation often glosses over the fact that not everyone can read and not all can afford books at all, much less the more expensive research tomes. So only those who can most afford it tend to get their works published and if all of those works are biased towards captive or sanctuary bred animals then you can develop a bias in the research world without being fully aware of it and end up circulating information that others could have told you years ago was wrong," Rashid explained.

"Why would people go through the trouble of hiking through the forest when they already have captive monsters available instead?" Alistair stated.

"Precisely. A tactic meant to reduce expense and danger that can ultimately lead to inaccurate results of varying degrees. A lagiacrus will act more or less the same whether it is wild, captive, or part of a special reserve. As will kecha wacha and qurupeco species. Rathian display minor changes but rathalos can undergo drastic transformations if not handled properly. Contrary to popular belief, rathalos and rathian hatchlings do not compete with each other for food. Not in a healthy ecosystem. Even if there is only one parent to provide for them. They will stay with their parents long into their juvenile stage and sometimes a few years into adulthood as well," Rashid said walking over and picking up a book that he had brought along with him.

"On occasion even family groups have been spotted together. Parents, juveniles or young adults, and hatchlings all living together in one area with nests that surround the parent's primary one. That can and does seem to happen if there are no rivals around to compete for resources such as food and territory. A parental couple may even put off having more eggs if their local territory is big enough and healthy enough to support the ones they already have living in the area. I've seen males and females move to the fringes of their parents territory or carve out a part of it once they find a mate but we're finding more and more that families tend to want to stay together if possible," Rashid stopped and opened the page to a sprawling illustration of an older male rathalos giving a welcoming nuzzle to his adult daughter.

"In the study that you read about they separated the siblings leading to increased tension among them as they grew apart emotionally and got older. Also the handlers felt it was best to limit physical and emotional contact with the hatchlings to avoid getting too attached to them. These were wild animals and could become deadly once they were adults. Their reasoning behind it was understandable but this lack of direct attention, this lack of love only served to exacerbate any emotional issues the rathalos had. Issues that were reported as normal instead of being as a result of their captive state and treatment," Rashid flipped to another page in his book that showed a mother rathian sheltering her babies underneath her wings during a storm.

"Both rathian and rathalos are a lot more emotional then people give them credit for," he added and Sky nodded in agreement.

"Monsters as a whole are far more intelligent and a lot more capable of displaying emotion then we often give them credit for," she stated.

"She speaks correctly. As I have already explained rathalos and rathian not only recognize family bonds as they grow but will seek to maintain them if possible. Breaking these bonds and keeping them emotionally distant is what ultimately caused them to leave and also caused the anger, hostility and violence they later displayed towards each other and towards their human handlers as juveniles. not only are they capable of forming deep emotional bonds with others, but they need these bonds in order to stay healthy mentally," Rashid closed the book and put it back into his bag.

"So... so they won't leave? Or at least it's unlikely they will?" Alistair asked unconsciously reaching down and putting her hand on Akairo's head. She couldn't help the way her heart leaped in her chest as she spoke.

Both Ginouji and Akairo had been paying attention as well, tilting their heads and rumbling occasionally. Now they both looked up at her curiously. She didn't know how much of the conversation they understood but they apparently realized it had something to do with them staying with her.

"It entirely likely that they will stay with you for life moving with you if you choose to leave the area. Rathalos siblings often choose adjacent territories even after finding a mate so if you live in a location with enough space to support them... sure. That's not to say you shouldn't be careful. As they get bigger both you and them need to be aware of the growing difference in power. They could still hurt you severely even if it's not intentional. Especially when their poison spurs start to develop and become more potent as young adults," Rashid warned her.

Alistair nodded and tried to thank him but tears of joy and relief were already welling up in her eyes. Akairo pressed against her legs and rubbed his head against her even as Ginouji got to his feet and lifted his body up, placing his head on her chest and rumbling affectionately. Now Alistair did burst into tears unable to hold back the emotion she felt at their display of love and reassurance.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... I've just... been through a lot," Alistair sniffed and brushed away her tears as she spoke. Breaking down like that would be embarrassing enough at any time in front of just her sister, but especially so in front of a stranger.

"Thank you so much for coming all the way out here to see them. I know you have to leave again immediately but still this means a lot. I really appreciate the effort," she added clearing throat.

"No need to explain and I was happy to come out here. I've seen plenty of people try to raise monsters before but few who really understand what that kind of effort can entail. You clearly know what you're doing and they are obviously benefiting greatly from your care and attention," Rashid said warmly.

"Your sister also mentioned that you have been taking notes daily on their behavior and care. Quite extensive notes, enough to fill up several journals already. If you ever get the opportunity then I plead with you wholeheartedly to publish them. It could prove to be an invaluable help to researchers such as your sister and myself one day. We need more points of view. More people telling their stories about monster taming and raising and not just the select few who can afford to do so and publish their findings. Make them available to any who want them. Many will never get to see a monster as anything other then as part of a weapon or trophy mounted on a wall. Such a personal chronicle could open many eyes and hearts. At least consider it," he urged her.

"I will and thanks again," Alistair promised. She stayed behind, still stroking her beloved hatchlings as Sky showed Rashid out. When they were gone she looked down at her babies who both growled and nuzzled her affectionately.

"Looks like I'm stuck with you guys," she said and both of them rumbled happily.

"Okay, okay time to go. I'm sure both of you are long past ready to leave," she added and both of them scrambled for the doorway. "Back up and let me open it would you?" she chastised them and they stepped back just long enough for her to open the large door before scrambling out in front of her. Ginouji yelped as Akairo bit his wing and shoved in front of him.

"Would you two quit fighting? We'll be out of here soon enough. No running!" Alistair shouted to little avail as the both went tearing down the hallway towards the large double doors leading outside. To be fair though both of them had been very good so far. They had earned a burst of energy and some play time.

Alistair had just stepped out of the doors and was blinking back the sunlight from her eyes when she felt something crash into her legs. Quickly she grabbed it and steadied herself before she could fall over. She heard the curious gurgles from Ginouji and Akairo as they looked back at her to see what happened.

Looking down, Alistair found a little boy about 4 years old staring back up at her with friendly brown eyes and a cloud of curly hair. He had the darker skin and round features that she had seen on many islanders farther south.

"Hi!" he said with a bright smile and a small wave.

Alistair stared down at him in surprise her mind immediately falling back to the past.

_Stop, don't go back there. Don't do that. Stay focused. Stay grounded. Stay here,_ Alistair shuddered and closed her eyes trying as best she could not to freeze up. Ginouji and Akairo had already picked up on her emotions and were circling back around. She couldn't freeze up. She couldn't break down or they might try and remove what they saw as the source of her distress.

The boy was still staring up at her with wide eyes, innocent of the potential danger as both rathalos hatchlings started walking back, their bodies already lowering into an instinctive stalking posture. They had never hurt a child before but it would be incredibly stupid of her to assume that they wouldn't just because they hadn't done so yet.

Crouching down, Alistair spoke to him.

"Why don't you come with me and we'll see if we can find who you belong to. Okay?" she offered and the boy thought for a moment before his smile started to slip.

"I'm not supposed to trust strangers," he said suddenly his eyes growing more suspicious. Alistair grimaced. He was absolutely right not to just walk away with her but she couldn't leave him standing here alone. After all Ginouji would have bitten right into Sky's face during his first examination if she hadn't stopped him. Neither of them had been overtly violent since then but the potential would always be there.

"Hold on a moment," Alistair said as she saw her two hatchlings slowing inching ever closer to the boy.

_But they are also smarter then people give them credit for. They may not be as smart as humans but they aren't dumb beasts. I've taught them how to obey, be patient, and not bite when people handle them. I can do this if I just take a breath,_ Alistair firmly reminded herself. Her panic was scattering her thoughts. She could handle this if she just managed to calm down and think for a moment.

That reminder along with a deep breath helped her to focus. Turning to look at Akairo and Ginouji she fixed them with a firm look.

"Hey, eyes here," Alistair said using the phrase she had come up with to get their attention and let them know they needed to listen to her closely. When both of them were focused on her she continued. "I'm safe. I'm okay," she told them in the soft tone she used when she was upset and was getting ready to move on again.

Akairo gave a gurgle of acknowledgement but then looked at the boy and hissed with a snap of his jaws before looking back at her. He understood she was okay but he still wanted to know if the boy was a danger.

"He's safe. Go easy, be gentle. Very small," she said firmly. And then she repeated herself along with pointing to the boy. Both of them understood that and settled down. Akairo stopped and looked away with a sniff.

As they grew larger and stronger she had taken a lot of time teaching them how to play with her without hurting her. As well as how to back off if they were getting too rough. They understood what safe meant and how to distinguish between sizes. They understood now that he was safe and they needed to be gentle because of his size.

Now assured that there was no danger and that Alistair wasn't upset Akairo walked away. Not too far away, just enough to give the impression that he totally, absolutely wasn't interested at all while still being close enough to satisfy his curiosity about what was going on.

To Alistair's surprise it was Ginouji who came closer and stood beside her. He stretched his neck out just far enough to sniff the boy up and down but calmly side stepped when the boy raised his hand as if to pet him.

Well wasn't that interesting. Of course there was the fact that neither of them had seen a child this close before. Still Alistair didn't take her eyes off them just to be sure.

"Alistair! There you are!"

She nearly melted with relief as Amai's familiar voice called out to her and she came running around a corner in the path. Standing back up she had to take another deep breath to calm herself before she started rambling.

"I'm so glad you're here. He got separated from someone but I don't know who. He doesn't quite trust me because I'm a stranger which is what he should do and I don't just want to leave him here alone. Ginouji and Akairo don't seem inclined to bother him but I don't want to make assumptions," Alistair said forcing herself to slow down and speak carefully.

"Well that's smart of him and believe me I understand. I made the mistake of looking away from Raiden once while we were in town and he nearly shocked a kid who wanted to pet him. Definitely worked on more thorough obedience training after that one," Amai remembered with a grimace before adding, "We can handle this one though."

Amai crouched down in front of the boy and smiled warmly at him. "We're Monster Hunters. It's our job to keep people safe," she told him.

"Like the city guard?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah, just like that. So why don't we go back to that building over there? it's made just for people who want to come and visit. We can go inside and find someone who works there. Then we can sit down and wait while they try to find who you're with. Sound good? We'll just go right over there. Nowhere else. I promise," Amai told him. He thought for a moment before nodding.

"See? No problem. I'll stand over here and you can stand over there and we'll go together," Amai said as she stood up and took a few steps back. The boy looked up at Alistair and then at Ginouji and Akairo.

"Can I pet the monsters?" he asked her innocently holding his hand out. Akairo's head whipped around as he saw the movement but Alistair quickly stepped over to him and crouched down, putting her arm around his neck effectively distracting him.

"Why don't we just get back to the building and maybe we'll get to see another monster that you can pet instead," Alistair offered standing back up and giving Akairo a warning look.

The little boy brightened at that and he walked along with Amai as she headed back to the visitors center.

Alistair sighed heavily and looked at both rathalos hatchlings as they stared at her with curious head tilts.

"I love both of you but I can't take chances when it comes to little kids. We're going to have to do some more specialized training after this," she said kissing both of them on the head. Standing back up Alistair headed along to the visitors center.

She was almost there when she spotted Amai talking to a woman in uniform and Rain standing nearby listening. When Rain saw her coming she excused herself and walked over to meet her.

Alistair didn't even have to say a word and Rain was already opening her arms to envelop her in a hug. She let Rain's arms wrap around her and closed her eyes in relief.

"The meeting with Sky went wonderfully but then I came out and saw that kid and it got to me. More then I would have liked. I handled it with Amai's help but for a moment there I just... couldn't think. Couldn't focus," Alistair's words were muffled by Rain's shoulder but she didn't pull away. Not yet.

"You going to be okay?" Rain asked gently.

"Yeah, I will. I handled it better then I would have even a month ago so I'm trying to focus on that instead of letting this get me down," Alistair added as she finally, reluctantly pulled away. Rain put an arm around her shoulders and walked with her towards where Amai was standing. It felt nice being close to her like this. Really, really nice.

"Not helping?" Rain ventured pulling Alistair's attention back to the matter at hand.

"Not as much as I would like but it will keep getting better. I just have to keep reminding myself of that," Alistair said heavily. "So what's the deal with him?" she asked nodding over to where the boy and Amai were.

"Group from the local orphanage came here for a visit. He got distracted by something and wandered off. Nearly gave the caretakers a heart attack," Rain explained nodding to where the boy was now back playing with the other kids.

"Lost his parents in a hurricane farther south. Same for most of the others. I..." Rain fidgeted and cleared her throat. "I donate some money every month but mostly I would donate food and supplies since that's what they said they needed most. It's not a lot but they were able to upgrade the building, get better supplies and stuff..." she trailed off awkwardly. "I wanted to do something more with my money then just put it into my business or let it collect interest," she explained.

"I'm sure they appreciate whatever help you can give them. I'm sure it's not easy for the kids or the adults," Alistair said looking up at Rain. She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before opening her mouth to ask something.

"Hey Rain! Can you come here for a second?" Amai called over to her.

Rain frowned and hesitated a moment, clearly waiting for Alistair to finish what she was going to say.

"It's... never mind. Just go ahead," Alistair said instead as her courage failed her. Rain looked disappointed for a moment before reluctantly pulling away and heading over to Amai and the adults from the orphanage.

Alistair sighed and tried to ignore the way her stomach twisted. She had to talk to Rain at some point. Things had changed. Things between them had changed. Amai had clearly picked up on it and even Sky had been asking more and more questions about the two of them. Alistair had always been able to talk to Rain but now her courage was failing her when she needed help the most.

Sighing heavily she looked down at Ginouji who was standing beside her and looking up at her curiously. He chirruped and looked over at Rain and then back up at her.

"Yeah, I know. I'll get there eventually. Now come on. Time to get you guys home and fed," Alistair said to him, pointedly ignoring the way Rain kept looking back over at her.


	4. Confessions

Rain growled and crumpled the letter she had been writing. It was easily her sixth or seventh attempt but each time she tried the words just didn't seem to be coming out right. She felt a whuff of breath over her shoulders and looked up to see Shurika staring at her.

"Oh don't give me that look at least I'm trying," Rain muttered as she tossed the paper into a pile with the others and started chewing on the end of her pen instead. It had become clear to her over the past few months that Alistair's feelings for her had changed just as Amai had suggested they would. Even the monsters had picked up on it. Akairo and Ginouji with curiosity, Raiden with excitement whenever they were together, and finally Shurika and Seiva with unrelenting teasing or exasperation whenever the subject came up.

They had always been close and at first Rain might have missed the signs completely if not for Amai's words making her stop and think. Now however Alistair's behavior and awkwardness around her had gotten more obvious.

"I just..." Rain started and then sighed heavily. "I don't want to push her to hard if she isn't ready you know? As far as I know she's always been straight. Maybe she needs time to figure things out. Maybe there are other things going on that she has to deal with and hasn't told me about yet," she said but even then it sounded weak.

Shurika snorted and nudged her shoulder before making her sound for Alistair and then lifting her head and making a curious sound as if she spotted something. Her message was clear.

_Talk to her and you'll find out._

"I know, I know," Rain muttered and put the stack of papers aside. This letter writing clearly wasn't going anywhere anyway. "Maybe I should. I mean Alistair has always been the one to come to me when she's upset, right? Maybe she needs me to be the one to come to her first this time and if she doesn't want to talk yet then at least she'll know how I feel," she said and Shurika thrummed happily. To bad that still didn't help to settle her nerves.

Rain had been seeing Alistair's therapist over the past five months as well and he had helped her to work through a lot of her pain and emotions. He was helping her see how to heal and move on from what she had been through. One thing he brought up was that she could stand to be more assertive. She was always there for Alistair when she needed help, always listened to her or comforted her when she needed it, but Rain also needed to get better at speaking up when she needed to say something, or wanted help, or just needed to get something off her chest. It sounded great at the appointment but putting it into practice was proving more difficult.

"I can't believe I'm actually thinking of going to Amai for advice," Rain stated and Shurika gave her a look of clear disbelief. "Yeah me too, but if Alistair isn't confident enough to say anything yet then I need to do something to show that I feel the same way about her... once I figure out what that is," she took the pen out of her mouth and gathered up the crumpled letters before standing up.

"So did you..." Rain asked only to turn around just in time to see Shurika stretch her neck out and roll on her back, wriggling around and covering herself in sand.

"I was going to ask if you wanted me to scrub you down today but I'll take that as a no," Rain observed as Shurika rested on her side and sighed in contentment. She hummed noncommittally and kept her eyes closed as Rain walked over and gave the abyssal lagiacrus an affectionate kiss on the nose.

"I'll see you later then. Hopefully with good news," she added before walking back to the house. It was getting to be later in the afternoon and she was grateful to get out of the heat and back into the shade. The shop was already closed up for the day and they had done a fair amount of business so she really needed to finish up the sales sheets anyway.

Alistair was with her therapy group at the moment after which she had an appointment with her therapist and finally she was making a trip to the local spa. Amai had taken all the little monsters down to the beach to hunt and Seiva had gone with them to help babysit and serve as a bodyguard. They had left early and should be back soon. Hopefully she would have a chance to talk to Amai before Alistair got back home.

* * *

"I'm back!"

Rain lifted her head from going over her daily sales sheets from the shop and saw Amai walking in with a bag in one hand. Since Seiva had elected to go with them she had dressed casually rather then in full armor, trusting the white lagiacrus scare off what few monsters might be in the area.

"Little ones are all fed and curled up together for a nap. We did have a curious sharq swim up but apparently Raiden's electricity is stronger then I thought because he knocked it clean out with one hit and dragged it out of the water with help from Ginouji and Akairo. Seiva finished it off before it could wake back up though. Ginouji and Akairo loved it but Raiden made a face and went back to zapping and eating fish so I doubt they'll be tasting sharq again unless they catch it themselves," Amai explained as she walked into the kitchen.

"Did you eat yet? I caught and cleaned a bunch of fish while I was out as well. Thought they might make a nice dinner," Amai said lifting the bag.

"No not yet, I was trying to finish up some stuff for the shop. Bills, expenses, taxes, boring adult stuff," Rain said with a smile as Amai made a face.

"I'm going to get changed and then fry up some and make a stew out of the others. It'll keep for a few days if no one eats it today," Amai said as she put the bag in the sink.

Rain tried not to fidget but obviously didn't try hard enough because Amai paused and stared at her for a moment.

"Unless... you needed something first?" Amai asked hesitantly.

Rain waved her way, trying to hide her blush all the while.

"Just... wanted some advice... about... umm... Alistair," Rain said her voice falling into a mumble at the end. She knew her face was burning by now.

"Oh?" Amai said curiously before her eyes widened in realization. "Oh! Well it's about time you two figured it out. You've been driving me crazy with all these looks across the room and dancing around each other," she said even as she hooked a stool with her foot and dragged it over. Setting it beside Rain she hopped up and drummed her fingers on the counter.

"Advice. Got it. What can I help you with today?" Amai asked.

Rain sighed and pushed her papers away.

"I just... I'm not sure what to do. She's always been the one who comes to me when something is bothering her but that clearly isn't going to happen this time. I know she's tried several times to bring it up but keeps backing out or we get interrupted and she loses her nerve. I want to let her know that... that I care about her. That I've thought about this and I want to... to," Rain stopped and cleared her throat, deeply embarrassed.

"To what? If you're having trouble admitting you want to be with her because of everything you've already been through I get it. But don't sit there and tell me you don't know at all because that is the last thing Alistair needs to hear," Amai said firmly.

"What? No! I wouldn't do that to her. I do know. I'm not... it's just..." Rain started only to be cut off.

"Look you wanted advice so I'm going to give it to you," Amai told her. "You know how we do things back home in my community among the tribes there? Because relationships are a really big deal. Marriages even more so. We depend on each other and on our close knit ties to keep us alive in some incredibly harsh conditions. So if someone from another community is interested in someone from ours then the parents and elders on both sides will get together to talk and make arrangements. What kind of person are they? Have they ever gotten in trouble? Who do they associate with? Are they a hard worker? Stuff like that. If both sides are generally well standing members of their tribe then the couple is encouraged to go ahead and start courting each other. They've never stopped anyone from seeing each other but they might... _strongly_ dissuade them in rare cases. Dating I think people call it here?" she paused for a moment and then waved her hand.

"Anyway for a person that isn't well known the parents and elders all want to take the time to get to know them. It's a wonderful, thrilling occasion when there is a potential marriage floating about but it's also a serious matter to have someone from another tribe join our community or to have someone we know leave us," Amai paused for a moment and gave a happy sigh.

"I remember how excited everyone was when my older sister said a man from a neighboring tribe had approached her," Amai got lost in thought for a moment before shaking her head.

"Sorry, where was I? Oh, right! That's if someone is a stranger. Do you know what we do if two people within our community decide they want to be in a relationship? People who have already known each other for at least several years? People who have been a part of our community for a significant amount of time? People whose family histories with the tribe go back so far you can hear still the bones creak when someone brings their history up?" Amai said and Rain shook her head.

"The elders announce their engagement and they have three months to decide if they want to go through with it and get married," she explained with a sage nod.

Rain frowned slightly. She had never heard of anything like that before.

"Really?"

"Really."

"That's it?"

"This isn't a stranger. This isn't a person down the road that you know of vaguely because they wave at you when you leave the house. These are people who have helped you survive some of the worst winters, the longest cold spells and were there during the best summers and the biggest harvests. People whose lives depend on their ability to work together and be there to support each other. If you don't have a reasonable idea of whether or not you're interested in a long term relationship with them after all that history then you shouldn't be approaching them for one in the first place," Amai shrugged and added, "I mean you have to realize I'm from a place where the next closest tribe is several days or a few weeks travel on foot away. We don't really have many options for dating or courtship the way people in a big city would do it. It's... it's a totally different way of life."

Amai fell silent her expression turning sad and pensive before she took a deep breath and looked Rain straight in the eye.

"That engagement period isn't just for them to be alone and stare at the sunset over the mountains either. They're expected to seriously talk to each other. Do they want kids? Which tribe will they stay with? His or hers? Will he continue with the job he has or does he want to apprentice to someone else? Same goes for her. Will she keep her current job or would he rather support her alone? Is she okay with doing that or would she rather keep working? Do they want to move out of the mountains entirely as some, like me, have done or stay there? How will they deal with disagreements over household matters?" Amai said with an eyebrow raised.

"Alistair isn't a stranger who caught your eye on the street or someone from another village or city. She's your best friend. She's been there for you as a kid when you first became friends, after you came out, after your parents disowned you and since losing Storm and Sakala. You've been there as her best friend since she was a kid. You were there when she first became a hunter, when she got married, when she lost her husband and her baby, when that hospital tried to help her and instead resulted in her barely able to take care of herself for months. You didn't hesitate when she said she needed a place to stay and you're here for her now helping her get back on her feet after what, six months?" Amai stopped and took another breath.

"You guys have a lot to talk about. A _whole_ lot to talk about and a lot of baggage that needs to be gone through and examined thoroughly," she said honestly. "But you've also known her all your life. Or the majority of it anyway. You've helped her through some of the worst periods of her life. That's enough time and experience to be able to make a firm decision if you're interested in going further with this and looking seriously at a long term commitment. If not then she needs to know that. She deserves to know that and she deserves to know it now," Amai finally concluded and them made a face.

"I totally sounded like my mom there didn't I? I think I'm reaching that point in life where I finally understand some of the life experience stuff they told me as a kid. Wow that's scary," Amai said with a grimace. "Also you can talk now," she added with a slightly embarrassed smile.

"I'm not entirely sure what to say after being blindsided like that," Rain admitted and rubbed her neck. "But I did ask you for advice and you certainly gave it to me," she added with a sigh. "I think... I think there's a lot for me to think about before Alistair gets back but... you're right. Whatever the case I've known her long enough to give her a straight answer. She deserves that anyway," she agreed before giving Amai an approving look.

"When did you grow up so fast?" she asked making Amai blush.

"I've just... been doing a lot of thinking lately about my parents about the tribe elders and about all they tried to teach me. I understand so much better now why they don't approve of Guild Hunters and why they limit contact with outsiders. With those who aren't from other native tribes I mean. I understand why they worry about how many are leaving and if their way of life is going to keep lasting another few generations. I just... I just wish I had realized all of this before I left home, not afterwards," Amai said with a heavy sigh.

"I... I want to go home. Not to stay, but to see everyone again. To clear the air and ask them to forgive me for leaving the way I did. I do still want to keep working with the Guild but I also need to see my family again. It's been long enough," Amai said hesitantly.

"I think that's a great idea. If you need help getting transport back to the northern mountains and then here again then I'd be happy to help pay for it. You've been a big help to Alistair. I want to do something to help repay you for that," Rain offered and added, "And don't start in on how you can't accept it. Just say yes and start packing your bags."

Amai flushed but leaped up to hug her anyway.

"Thank you so much! I do appreciate it even if I feel bad accepting. I'll get my tickets tomorrow!" Amai said already excited to go.

"Hey I'm back!"

They turned at the sound of Alistair's voice and Rain took a deep breath to steady her nerves.

"Now or never right?" Rain asked and Amai patted her on the back.

"You've raised three lagiacrus, you can do this no problem!" she said encouragingly but Rain was a whole lot less sure of herself.

* * *

_Well this is off to a great start,_ Rain thought as she swallowed hard and glanced over at Alistair who looked just as uncomfortable as she turned a seashell over in her hands. They were sitting by the water's edge in the backyard. The sun was setting most of the monsters were sleeping and Amai was back on the patio reading a book. Alistair and her were supposed to be talking but so far they had only managed to sit there in awkward silence.

_So much for talking things out,_ Rain grimaced and scratched her head. She took a deep breath and cleared her throat.

"I... um... I guess I'm supposed to go first. That's what the therapist has been telling me. Be more assertive and all that. Thanks for, um... recommending that I go see him too. It really has been helping," Rain started hesitantly.

"I'm glad. You seem more at ease now. Like you're carrying less weight around. It feels that way to me too. I mean we both still have a long way to go but... it's been getting better hasn't it?" Alistair asked her eyes still fixed on the seashell in her hands.

"It has definitely. I know I'm starting to feel better then I have in years and I can see the change in you as well. A change for the better," Rain agreed. Another silence fell between them until finally Rain summoned up her courage the way she was supposed to be doing from the start.

"My dad and I never had the... best relationship. That goes for both of my parents and all of my relatives except for Storm really. But I remember him telling me once that relationships don't make you happy. They can only add to what you already have. They can add to your happiness, but you cant expect things to magically get better just because you love someone. It takes work on both sides. Work, communication and compromise every step of the way," Rain said quoting her dad. It was one of the few fond memories she had of him and she held on to it tightly.

"People's problems don't go away just because you love them. Whatever they are dealing with is still going to be there no matter how much you care about them... no matter how much you love them. But caring about them can make that load easier to bear," Rain stopped and let out a shaky breath.

"And I care about you Alistair and I... I do want us to be more then just friends. I don't expect your problems to ever go away completely and that's fine. I understand that and I could never care about you any less because of it. But that doesn't mean you don't deserve to be happy and I hope that... well... maybe I could add to that happiness if you'll let me," she finally finished.

For a long, agonizing moment Alistair was completely silent and she still had yet to look up.

"I got a letter from the Guild about a month ago," Alistair said abruptly. "It was a warning that if I didn't accept a quest within the next couple of weeks the Guild Knights would come to investigate whether my status as a hunter should remain in effect... or if it should be revoked," she continued her voice thick with emotion.

"If a hunter doesn't take on a quest for six months for reasons other then personal or medical leave then their mental status and capabilities as a hunter are thoroughly reviewed. I've been getting help but I technically haven't been on medical or personal leave from the Guild. They're required to investigate now and my therapist said he's... he's going to recommend that I be taken off. Permanently," she stopped and looked up with tear filled eyes.

"Rain... I don't know if I even want to be a hunter anymore."

Rain's heart sank in her chest as Alistair started to cry. Moving closer she wrapped her arms around her and held her tightly as she broke down, sobbing deeply.

"I've been working so hard to get better and now I feel like everything is falling apart again and I hate it so much. I hate feeling like this. Like I'm sliding backwards again, like I'm going to be like this forever. Like... like I'm more trouble then I'm worth... like... no one would ever want to be with someone who might be dealing with this for the rest of their lives," Alistair confessed to her.

Rain tightened her arms around Alistair and pulled her tighter.

"That's not true. I'm not going anywhere Alistair. No matter what it is you have to face. I want to be there with you for the good and the bad. You'll get through this. We'll get through this. Together. Whatever happens I'm not going to let you go, I promise you that," Rain swore to her as Alistair shifted closer to her.

"Thank you. I know this will pass and I'll feel better again soon but it just... _hate it_ so much when these low points come. When I start doubting myself like this. Doubting _you_ like this. I know things will work out. I _know_ I'm strong enough to handle this, to get through this. I just hate that I have to fight like this at all. Especially after you just told me something so wonderful. Something I've been longing to hear," Alistair added with a heavy sigh.

"We'll take it as it comes. That's what you do when you love someone right?" Rain gently assured her.

"Thank you, Rain. For everything. I know we have so much more we need to talk about but for now just... thank you for being here, again" Alistair said gratefully.

"We can talk more tomorrow when you feel better. Okay?"

"Okay."


	5. One Step At A Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter does bring up a mention of electroconvulsive or electroshock therapy. This is a therapy that, as with all medical procedures, should only be done with permission from the patient after all the benefits and risks have been discussed. It's rarely used anymore as more effective treatments and better medication are more readily available. Confusion after treatment lasting a few minutes to hours or rarely a few days may occur. Memory loss can last for a few months after treatment before the patient recovers.
> 
> This story presents a scenario where such therapy was administered incorrectly and without Alistair's permission. While this is something that did actually happen to people before safeguards were implemented, this is still a work of fiction and should not be taken as a real life example.

 

Alistair heard the door creak open and a small sliver of light filled the room.

"It's okay. You can come in," she said already knowing who it was. She heard soft footsteps before the bed dipped slightly as Rain sat down.

"One of those days?" Rain asked in a quiet voice.

Alistair just nodded. It was one of those days. One of her bad depression days where even the thought of getting out of bed exhausted her.

"I always try to push through it but with my review coming up for the Guild I just..." Alistair trailed off. She lay there quietly for a moment before finishing her thought. "It just feels like everything is piling up on me again."

Rain reached over and brushed her hair back before pulling her arm back and shifting closer. Rain reached her arm back out, visibly hesitating before gently touching her again. Alistair sighed and closed her eyes in contentment as Rain's fingers ran through her hair.

"Your hair is getting past your neck again. Want me to give you a haircut later?" Rain asked. A simple question. She could handle simple.

"Please do," Alistair replied. Opening her eyes again she tilted her head slightly into Rain's touch.

"I saw you were out of that fancy bath stuff you use," Rain began, "Want me to go get you some more? You can have a nice relaxing bath while I make something for you to eat. It's getting close to noon now and I have ingredients for those burritos you love so much," she offered. Her cooking skills had improved significantly over the past few months to the point where Alistair was willing to let Rain feed her experiments to her. Spicy pepper, onion, rice and beef burritos being one such successful experiment.

Alistair thought about that. It did sound incredibly appealing. Something simple. She could do simple. Just a bath and a meal. One step at a time.

"I'd really like that. Do you think we could go to the beach later? After most of the people are gone that is? It's been so long since I've been down by the water just to relax and enjoy it. Akairo and Ginouji would love to play around there," Alistair asked and Rain smiled warmly.

"Sounds perfect to me. I'll see if the store has those candles you love too," Rain offered. Alistair hummed in gratitude and closed her eyes, the gentle pull of Rain's touch lulling her back to sleep.

"If you're still in bed when I get back then I'll get the bath ready and wake you up okay?" Rain asked softly.

"Okay," Alistair mumbled as she drifted back to sleep again.

* * *

Rain carefully shut the door to Alistair's bedroom and headed back out to the living room to grab her sandals.

"Bad day?" Amai asked from where she was chopping up fruit in the kitchen.

"Bad day," Rain confirmed. Slipping into her sandals she stood there for a moment before sighing heavily. "I think... in a way she's been grieving for the past month or so," she added. Amai looked up curiously and motioned for her to go on.

"I just mean that Alistair has never really had the chance to grieve or mourn over what happened back in Zystae. To her husband and baby. To her family. She woke up in the hospital traumatized and in shock and as hard as she's tried a part of her had never fully moved on from that point. It hasn't been able to and that's through no fault of her own. She's tried but just hasn't had the resources she needed to do so. Now thanks to her doctor she's been able to start processing that pain and trauma and deal with it," Rain explained to her.

"I can see the change in her these past few months. Alistair is improving but I think she's also finally been... letting go of what happened. It's not something she'll ever forget and she may always have scars from it, figuratively and literally, but I do think she's been processing it and learning to move on with her life in a healthy way for the first time since it happened," Rain stopped and shook her head. "Sorry I'm mostly thinking out loud to myself here," she admitted.

"That's okay. I can see what you mean now that you've said it. I've noticed it but haven't been able to put words to it since I don't know her like you do. She has definitely gotten better at dealing with her anxiety and depression, but at the same time she has seemed... not sad but grieving like you said. It know it's hard but I think she needed this. Needed this time to process everything herself. Maybe... maybe leaving behind the Guild and monster hunting will help her with that," Amai added cautiously.

"You know about that?" Rain asked and Amai looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"She... she told me a few days ago. She asked me what I thought of it... of her retiring from being a hunter. Permanently. Alistair said she wanted to tell you but she wanted another hunter's perspective on it first," Amai confessed. Her eyes looked away uncomfortably.

"I'm glad she felt comfortable enough to ask. That shows a lot of trust on her part," Rain said gently. She was surprised that Alistair had gone to Amai first for advice but in the end Alistair had still told her personally a short time later. There was no need to be upset.

Amai relaxed at that reassurance.

"I asked her why she first became a hunter and she said that when she started it was because she loved it. Not just the challenge but being out in nature, seeing so many different monsters and learning about them and different ecosystems. She loved knowing that she could help people. Then I asked why she was still a hunter and Alistair confessed that she didn't feel that way anymore. Now it just feels like she's doing it because that's what she's always done. Because she's scared that she doesn't know how to do anything else or be anything else. Because that's what she's been using to cope with her anxiety and PTSD for so long and without it she won't have a crutch to fall back on," Amai fell quiet and fiddled with the cutting knife in her hand for a moment.

"She said that going on a hunt used to thrill her. After developing her anxiety and PTSD it was a relief. Now... now it scares her. It scares her to think of getting hurt and leaving you behind or dying and leaving Ginouji and Akairo behind or losing a limb or suffering some other bodily injury like so many other hunters have. She said that her heart just isn't in it anymore and she doesn't know if it ever will be again. But mostly... mostly Alistair said that she was afraid of leaving behind the only thing she's ever really felt she was good at," Amai cleared her throat and swallowed hard. "I gave her a hug and told her that she already had her answer then," she concluded.

"She shouldn't be a hunter anymore," Rain said heavily.

"She shouldn't be a hunter anymore," Amai confirmed. She chewed on her bottom lip nervously before speaking up again.

"I went to look up the legal procedures for this kind of thing. Some Guild Knights are probably going to come by to talk to you any day now since you are appointed to make medical decisions in Alistair's place if she's incapacitated. This isn't one of those times but they do have to talk to you and get a statement anyway. Since Alistair is still... how did they word it? Oh right! If the psychologist determines that she is mentally sound then they still have to talk to you but any final decisions come from Alistair. You do have the right to talk to Alistair about it first though so if they get tough then don't give in. You also have the right to be present during any questions they ask Alistair or any proceedings involving her if she wants you to be. So... yeah... if they get pushy on you then ignore it," Amai advised her.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind. I'm heading out. Need anything?" Rain asked her.

"No I'm good. I'll be going on a gathering quest in a few minutes though. I was just fixing a snack to take with me. It's really close by so I'll be back by sunset at the latest," Amai said with a glance out the window.

"See you later then and... thank you. For everything you've done so far for Alistair. It really means a lot to me," Rain added gratefully. Amai just blushed and waved her off. Rain smiled at her embarrassment but didn't tease her. She had really matured a lot over these past few months and was turning into a great hunter.

Grabbing her keys, Rain looked around once more to make sure she had everything before heading out.

* * *

_That went better then expected,_ Rain shifted the bag in her hand and sniffed one of the candles she had purchased. In addition to the fancy bath stuff Alistair loved so much the store was having a sale on locally made candles, soap and lotion as well. Rain had never been into pampering the way Alistair was but her influence had started changing that attitude. Plus this stuff smelled really nice.

Rain tightened her grip on the bag and reached out to open the door to her shop. Technically speaking it ran fine without her as long as it had a good supply of items to sell but she wanted to be more then just the rich figurehead who only showed up to collect the profits.

_That reminds me I need to plan another treasure hunting trip soon. I wonder if Alistair would want to go with me this time,_ Rain mused as she head inside the darker and much cooler building.

Immediately she stopped upon finding her way blocked by two hunters. Their unique armor and the Guild insignia they wore on an armband suggested that these might be the Guild Knights Amai had talked about.

"Can I help you?" Rain asked looking them up and down.

"My name is Naia and this is Quincy from the Guild Hall. We're here for Alistair. Are you her?" the black woman asked, her voice strong and commanding but her eyes were warm and kind.

"No I'm Rain. I'm assigned as her legal representative," she replied glancing over at the white man who looked less warm and a lot more impatient then his partner.

"Our records did show that. May we speak to you then? We need to gather a statement about her..." Naia paused and glanced over her shoulder to where Rain's few employees were clearly listening in. "...her current status," Naia finished tactfully.

"I'm aware of the situation but I haven't had a chance to speak with Alistair about it yet. Can we set up a time to go over it tomorrow or the day after?" Rain asked only to have Quincy cut in.

"If you're her legal representative then you don't need to speak to her. It would be best to get a statement from you now," he said in a harsh tone that made Rain bristle.

"And you'll get that statement _after_ I've spoken to her as is my right according to Guild proceedings," Rain cut right back.

"If she felt the need to appoint you in the first place then I doubt she's in any capacity to make decisions as it is," Quincy said dismissively. Now Naia was frowning deeply at him but Rain spoke up before the other Guild Knight could offer her thoughts.

"Have you spoken to her doctor yet?" Rain asked and when Quincy didn't answer she straightened up and stared him right in the eyes. "Then you can get out of my shop and off my property until you do. I'm her legal proxy if and _only_ if she is incapacitated physically or mentally. That would have to be determined by a doctor which Alistair already has. So if her psychologist determines that Alistair can't make this decision on her own because of her current mental state _then_ you can come back to me for a decision," she paused long enough for that to sink in before adding, "Although I seriously doubt that will be the case. Alistair is sick, she's not helpless and she's not stupid. She's a grown woman and should be treated and her decisions respected as such."

Now Quincy's face colored with embarrassment and shame.

"The lady speaks true," Naia said gazing at Quincy with a such a cold look that the man visibly wilted beneath it. "As for you perhaps it would be best if you stayed outside and let me handle this," she added. Although her tone made it clear that it was a command not a request. Quincy bowed stiffly and headed outside. Once he was gone Naia sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"I apologize for the attitude of my subordinate. This is his first time on a case like this with a hunter facing recall or retirement over a mental or emotional condition and he has some... firm opinions on the matter," Naia noted sourly. "However, that does not make what he said acceptable. If you need time to speak with Alistair that's fine. Would tomorrow be a better time? We're going to see if we can talk with her doctor after this," she offered more reasonably.

"Tomorrow at noon would be fine. Do you already have a current address for her?" Rain asked and Naia pulled out a current sheet and repeated what was on it. "That's the one. Also don't be alarmed if you happen to see one or two lagiacrus on the property. Keep your distance but don't be surprised. They're mine," Rain warned them.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you for your time today. We'll see you tomorrow. Some of us with a better attitude if I have anything to say about it," Naia added. She gave a short bow before heading out the door where Rain could hear her taking Quincy to task for his behavior.

_Tomorrow,_ Rain thought heavily but then shook her head. She needed to hurry up here and get back to Alistair. They still had things to talk about before the Guild Knights came back tomorrow.

* * *

"How is it?" Rain asked as Alistair sighed in relief and sank down into the suds and bubble bath nearly overflowing the tub.

"Heavenly," Alistair said with a hum of contentment. "Reminds me a bit of how bad I was when my electroshock therapy went wrong and you and Storm pulled me out of the hospital. You had to do everything for me even help me get dressed and help give me a bath until my memory and coordination recovered," she recalled. "I remember how incredibly awkward it was at first," she added looking up at Rain.

"I remember psyching myself up mentally. Reminding myself that you were the one suffering most and needed my help and it's not a big deal and all that. I was ready, or I thought I was, until I walked in the room to help you and saw how uncomfortable and upset you looked and that made me feel awkward and... yeah, it was a mess at first but we figured it out," Rain reached over and squeezed her hand. "We'll figure this out too. Whatever happens we'll get through it," she promised. Alistair gave her a grateful, but tired, smile in return.

"I asked my doctor about that. About the therapy they gave me. He said first of all they never should have given it to me without the proper sedatives and certainly not without my permission. Even as bad as my side effects were it could have been even worse. He said if I ever wanted to take legal action against them I would be well within my rights to do so," Alistair added softly.

"Do you want to?" Rain asked her.

"They've already been investigated, the building shut down and licenses revoked for performing medical procedures without patient consent. Otherwise I might have, not because I want anything from them but just to make sure that no one else had to go through that like I did," Alistair answered. Settling down in the water she leaned her head back against the side of the tub and closed her eyes for a second.

"I hate feeling this exhausted despite sleeping in for so long," Alistair muttered her words partially interrupted by a yawn. "How did things go while you were out?" she added with a nod over to the candle Rain had burning next to the sink.

"Mostly fine. I went past the shop and ran into a pair of Guild Knights. They'll come by here tomorrow to talk to both of us about your Guild status," Rain answered. "One of them tried to get me to talk right then and there but I said I needed to talk to you about it first before I could give any kind of statement. His superior apologized to me for his attitude but I still wanted to warn you. Amai said you've spoken to her as well," Rain explained to her.

"Can't say that I'm surprised. The Guild has been working to increase their own awareness of mental health issues and how they can better help hunters deal with them but there are still a lot of people who don't understand. Who don't want to understand," Alistair confirmed with a sigh.

"I think I've already made my decision though. I think... I think I'm going to retire. Permanently. I've loved being a hunter but now... now I think it's hurting me more then it's helping me. I can't do it anymore and I... I don't want to. Amai helped me to realize that when I spoke to her. It's not just that I've lost my love for it and want to get it back because I don't. I honestly just don't want to be a hunter anymore and I've been scared to admit that. I've been a hunter for so many years now. Sure I've helped my parents out on the farm but this is the only thing I've ever really done as a career you know? I guess... I've been scared about where to go from here. What to do or if I'm really even good at anything else. Scared of being useless and dragging people down. Dragging you down," Alistair confessed.

"I know I can find a new career. I can learn to be good at something else but I'm still afraid and I still want to know that I can contribute something. Something other then sleepless nights worrying about how I'm doing," Alistair said with a weak smile.

"I know what you mean and I never want you to feel like you're dragging anyone down. You know I'll take care of you and if you're worried about finding a new career then we'll work together to find something," Rain promised her.

"Thanks I really need that reassurance. Tomorrow shouldn't be as extensive as it might normally be but that's because I've already decided to retire. There will still be questions like am I sure, do you think I'm qualified to make this decision, have Ginouji and Akairo influenced my decision, why have I decided to leave, and so on. The Guild Knights can't force us to answer questions separately if we don't want to. Not unless someone is causing problems and interfering to the point where they have trouble doing their jobs. Not allowing the other to answer or trying to take over, that kind of thing," Alistair explained to her. She stopped and swallowed hard.

"They'll... they'll also be taking all of my weapons, armor and supplies. Legally they have to when a hunter's status is revoked or they retire. I'm only allowed to keep one weapon. The rest of what I have the Guild keeps or resells if they don't have a use for it. I can ask that the profits go to a certain person or organization though and I would like the money to go towards research into helping to treat others who are dealing with mental health problems," Alistair paused as her fingers drew gentle circles on the back of Rain's hand.

"I'm really going to need you there for me when that happens. Even though I've already decided that's what I want I'm still going to get really emotional over it and I may need you to tell the Guild Knights what I want done with the money. That's the most important thing I want you to know. Since I'm retiring willingly there shouldn't be many questions and nothing you really need to prepare for. I want... I need you to be there with me," Alistair said her voice trembling at the end. Rain leaned over and pressed her lips to Alistair's forehead.

"They'd have to drag me away from you. I know it's going to be hard but we'll get through it okay?" Rain assured her. Alistair nodded and sighed.

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" she asked softly only to grin as a blush burned across Rain's face. "Oh wow I haven't seen you look that embarrassed in a long time," she teased as Rain felt her face growing hotter.

"I'd love to say something horribly sappy in return right now but I can't think of anything," Rain said honestly.

"Then I'll settle for those burritos you promised me."

"Food it is then."


	6. Moving On

Alistair had stuck around long enough to sign the paperwork, answer the Guild Knight's repeated questions and show them where she kept her armor and hunting supplies. Then she gathered up her rathalos babies and got out of there as fast as she could. Although she still felt bad for leaving Rain to handle it despite the woman's numerous reassurances that she didn't mind taking care of things. Alistair's initial plan had been to stick around until the Guild Knights had finished moving everything out of the house but after she barely managed to make it through the questions without breaking down in tears Rain had gently asked if she wanted to leave instead and just let her handle it.

_And here we are,_ Alistair thought as she watched Ginouji and Akairo hunting for fish and crustaceans in the tide pools. Even Shurika had come along following her down the road to the beach when she saw Alistair leaving the property. Being here was definitely the wiser choice even if the decision still didn't quite sit right in Alistair's mind.

Her mood was quickly improving out here and away from the house but still Ginouji and Akairo kept looking up frequently to check on her. As they got bigger they had gotten better at picking up on her moods often leading them to do whatever they could to try and help. Sometimes that meant just being there for her to hold while she cried or felt sad, other times it was urging her to play or swim with them so she could cheer up.

Now they clearly sensed that something had changed but didn't know what it was. They knew what Alistair's weapons and hunting supplies were for and they had also quite obviously seen the Guild Knights starting to take them away. Akairo had watched calmly but Ginouji had started getting more and more upset and and had looked up at her to do something only to end up standing there in confusion when Alistair stayed silent and let the Guild Knights keep taking her things away.

Now she could hear and see them "talking" to each other in a way that consisted not just of vocal noises but body language as well. As they grew they were developing their own way of communicating with each other even as they learned to better understand human speech. Alistair had learned to recognize quite a bit of what they said to each other although it was constantly improving so there were still plenty of gaps in her knowledge. However, Alistair recognized when they referred to her, to the house, and to hunting.

She watched as Ginouji hissed and snapped at Akairo who rather vocally argued back his point punctuated with an obvious mention of Alistair which made her curious and Ginouji flinch and look away. Akairo huffed and stormed off, stamping his feet emphatically to make sure his brother knew he was mad while Ginouji stood there fidgeting before looking over at her.

Alistair took pity on him and patted the sand next to her. Ginouji perked up and came back over to her, albeit more slowly and quietly then usual. He curled up next to her but didn't nudge her for attention as usual. Instead his eyes drifted back over to Akairo who had gone to spend time with Shurika. The huge abyssal lagiacrus looked at Alistair and gave an audible sigh. She bit back a smile at that and cleared her throat instead.

Reaching down she put a hand on Ginouji's back to get his attention.

"What's wrong?" she asked him. Ginouji whined and nudged her before turning back towards the direction of the house and humming questioningly. Then he looked back up at her with sad eyes and made the sound again.

_Why?_

Alistair should have known this was coming. Her babies may not be as smart as people but they were far from dumb. Her hunting had been part of their lives since they were born and now it was being taken away. She thought back to how calmly Akairo had reacted back at the house compared to his brother. Maybe they didn't know why it was happening or even what exactly was going on but Akairo had taken it in stride. Ginouji? Not so much.

Then again while both of them were unquestionably close to her, Ginouji had always been closer to her then Akairo. While both of them clearly looked up to her Ginouji was the one who constantly tried to imitate everything she did.

Alistair sighed and thought of a way to phrase things so that he would understand.

"Are you upset that they took my weapons and armor away? That I might not go out hunting and fighting big monsters anymore? " she asked, already knowing the answer by the way Ginouji's eyes slid away to stare down at the sand instead. She stroked his back and leaned over to kiss his head. Ginouji chirruped in surprise and looked up a her.

"I'm not mad at you and I understand why you're upset but I..." Alistair stopped as an idea came to mind. "You remember when you and Akairo felt bad? When you felt bad here?" she said rubbing his stomach. Ginouji thought a moment and bobbed his head. "That's called being sick. Your stomach was sick so it made you feel bad. To help you feel better I gave you that really nasty stuff that made you feel better," she explained to him.

"Well I'm sick up here," she continued pointing to her head, "That's what makes me feel really sad sometimes. My head is sick so sometimes I... I see bad, scary things at night when I try to sleep or I get scared when too many people are around me. That's why I take stuff I don't like because it makes me feel better. Going out hunting like that is hurting me and I need to stop if I want to keep getting better," Alistair explained as best she could.

Ginouji blinked and furrowed his brow as he processed and thought about that. Finally he stood up and turned and put his mouth to the side of her head. Alistair laughed as she realized he was giving her a kiss the same way she kissed him and his brother when they got a bruise or scrape and started acting like it was the end of the world.

"Thank you, Ginouji that helps. Sometimes getting help is really hard but you have to be brave and do it if you want things to get better," Alistair said giving Ginouji a kiss on top of his head.

"Now why don't we go get your brother and we'll all go for a swim before we head back to the house?" she said with a smile as Ginouji lifted his wings and bobbed his head eagerly.

* * *

Ginouji fidgeted and sidled a few steps closer to Akairo who was still refusing to talk to him.

Their fight earlier had been about mother and why her hunting weapons and armor were being taken away. Akairo said that mother was hurting was trying to do more to make it better. Ginouji hadn't believed him and argued that she would never give that up, she was too strong. His brother snapped back saying that it wasn't at all about being strong or weak. Then he added that if Ginouji he couldn't see how brave mother was being by doing this then he didn't know her at all. That hurt. It hurt even more after mom explained what was going on and confirmed that Akairo was right.

Now he felt bad for doubting his brother and worse for thinking that mom wouldn't be the same person, wouldn't be as good of a person if she gave up hunting. That was wrong and selfish of him.

Ginouji lowered his head head gave a small cry as he dropped his wings. Akairo finally looked over but his angry look didn't fade. Ginouji did it again this time with his belly fully on the ground.

_I'm sorry._

Akairo finally turned around and walked over lightly biting Ginouji behind his head to correct him. Then he stepped back to let him up. Akairo flared his wings briefly and butted his brother's head.

_I forgive you._

Ginouji still felt ashamed of himself and it must have shown because Akairo then came closer and let his head rest on Ginouji's back along with a comforting rumble. He grunted and growled and gave a questioning chirrup.

_Spoke to mother?_

Ginouji bobbed his head and sighed along with an apology and a higher pitched cry.

_Yes. I'm sorry you were right._

Akairo let his head rest heavier on his brother's back letting him know it was okay. Right before he whacked Ginouji in the back of his head with his wing and hissed at him.

_Don't do it again._

Ginouji hissed right back and shoved him into the sand. Akairo sputtered and grabbed his tail, dragging him back until a wave crashed over both of them sending them deeper into the salty water. That started a water fight that raged enthusiastically until mom came up and joined in the fun.

It was good to see her smiling and hear her laughing again. The only one who seemed to make her smile these days was Rain and Ginouji was happy to see them closer now. Mom always seemed more calm when Rain was there. He wished Raiden could be here too but he had been working hard with Amai. He was going to be her hunting partner and learn how to fight monsters with her.

Ginouji wished he and Akairo could have fought monsters along with mother too but maybe they could find something else to do together.

He stretched his wings and dove down under the water. One day Akairo and him would be bigger and stronger. Stronger even then Big Blue who lived in the forest nearby. Then mother would be able to fly with them. Maybe he would be able to talk to her like Jasper did. He really wanted that. He wanted to be able to talk to mom and understand her better.

Whatever happened next he knew mom would be there with them and they would be there for her.

* * *

Sky bit down on her words and tried not to sigh as Rain paced back and forth anxiously looking out the window. She had already told the woman several times that Alistair would be back soon but Rain barely acknowledged her and had only sat down once before popping back up and pacing again. Amai was out back doing something with her ziongre that involved a lot of electricity judging from the small sporadic thunderclaps she was hearing.

Alistair had told her days ago that she was thinking about giving up hunting for good. At the time she hadn't seemed entirely sure but clearly she had made up her mind since then. Sky had walked up to the house just as the Guild Knights were hauling the last box out to the cart waiting on the road. Rain had invited her inside but was clearly distracted and after a long, extremely awkward silence, Rain had started the anxious pacing and muttering she was doing now.

"I'm sure Alistair is fine. She's fine right? Of course she's fine give her some credit. She can handle herself. When she's ready to come back she'll be back. I don't need to hover, " Rain mumbled under her breath as she stopped and forced herself to sit down. Even after she was seated her knees bounced rapidly and she kept chewing on her thumbnail.

Sky didn't really know what to say in response. It wasn't like she was a people person and she knew she was difficult to get along with. Alistair and her had always been that way although they used to have each other. Sky had never really minded having Rain around until after Zystae's destruction and Alistair's hospitalization. Alistair had changed after that and Sky hadn't understood what she was going through and what she needed in order to heal and recover. So instead of trying harder she had let Alistair drift away and become more and more jealous of how much trust she put in Rain instead of her and their parents. Even though Alistair was recovering and learning to cope, their relationship still had a long way to go.

_Rain and Alistair on the other hand seem to have gotten a lot cozier over the past few months,_ Sky thought as she stamped down the urge to fidget herself. It was impossible not to notice the change in the way they interacted with each other and especially in the way Alistair looked at Rain. Sky honestly wasn't all that surprised to see it happen, sometimes things took time, but still she had been expecting it for a while. She certainly couldn't deny that Alistair was finally starting to look happier again.

Sky looked up as she picked up the sound of a large monster approaching along with the patter of smaller clawed feet running along the stone walkway. A second later the front door opened and Alistair walked inside. Rain was already jumping up from her seat to go to her.

"I'm okay," Alistair assured her as she wrapped her arms around Rain's neck and embraced her tightly. "I'm fine. I'm sorry for staying out so long. I didn't mean to make you worry," she said as Rain hugged her tightly and finally, visibly relaxed.

"I know, I know but then I started thinking which led to overthinking and that led to me worrying which led to me stressing out," Rain confessed. "You're really okay? Do you need something? What can I get you?" she added still sounding worried even as Alistair laughed and pulled back. Reaching up she gently caressed Rain's cheek.

"I can't say how I'll feel tomorrow or even in an hour or so, but right now? Right now I'm feeling okay. Really. I promise. No need to worry just yet," Alistair warmly assured her. Rain blushed slightly and looked down in embarrassment.

Sky fidgeted uncomfortably and resisted the urge to clear her throat to get their attention. She couldn't help but feel like she was intruding on something here and was all too aware of the fact that, for the past few years anyway, she had hardly been a welcome presence in Alistair's life. Thankfully her sister finally noticed her.

"Sky! What are you doing here?" Alistair asked as she dragged herself away from Rain to come and hug her. The hugging was a fairly recent development, as in just the past few weeks recent. Still it was a welcome change from the long periods of silence and angry looks they had exchanged before.

"I..." Sky hesitated and decided to just be honest. "I was worried about you. About how you would handle this... all of this. Today. I figured it couldn't hurt to come and see if you needed... wanted me for anything," she said returning Alistair's welcoming embrace.

"Honestly I feel like I've finally let go of something and I'm just now realizing how heavy it was to carry around. I'm still tired and sore and emotional, but overall I'm actually feeling pretty optimistic right now. Granted that could change by the time I'm ready to go to bed but for now I'm feeling a lot better then I expected and I really want to enjoy this mood for however long it lasts," Alistair said casting an warm look back at Rain.

"I want us to go out somewhere. The three of us and Amai when she's done. I want to go to one of those fancy, incredibly expensive restaurants you always talk about, Rain. The ones we've never gone to before because I hate the thought of you spending that much money on me. I want to celebrate tonight while my good mood lasts," Alistair said and Rain thought for a moment.

"There's a place I have in mind. Why don't you get changed and wash up? I'll take care of the arrangements and let Shurika and Seiva know we need one of them to babysit," Rain said in agreement. Alistair definitely seemed to having one of her good times, a moment where Sky could begin to see the sister she had lost and the woman she had become rather then the stranger she had been trying to reconnect with. Either way if Alistair wanted to take advantage of one of her rare happy moods then she certainly wasn't going to begrudge her.

"I can go change into something else and meet you there if that's okay?" Sky offered and Rain looked her up and down for a moment.

"You look fine. Besides I have too much money and I'm too well known for them to sniff too much at what anything someone with me is wearing," Rain stated honestly. "Just take a seat, grab a drink, read a book if you want. We shouldn't take too long... hopefully," she added glancing towards the hallway Alistair had disappeared down.

Rain fidgeted a moment before moving as if to leave and Sky wrestled with her courage, deciding whether or not to speak up about what was on her mind.

"Rain wait!" Sky finally blurted out just before Rain reached the back door. She turned around with a questioning look as Sky hurried over closer to her and stood there playing with her nails for a moment before answering.

"Alistair isn't really one for jewelry or other fancy stuff like that but she does wear necklaces. She loves opal and prefers silver instead of gold," Sky explained suddenly.

Customs for showing someone your interest or romantic intent varied wildly from place to place. Back home the community was more farm oriented so there it was cooking a special feast for the person and their family. In Loc Lac people tended to favor small sculptures made of blown glass or crystal. Here in Tanzia Port where many worked as sailors, fishers or in some other trade involving heavy use of their hands, people favored necklaces or throat bands on chains or soft leather along with pieces of coral, seashells, or precious stones.

For a moment Sky wasn't sure if Rain even knew what she was talking about but then the confusion on Rain's face was replaced with understanding and deep thoughtfulness.

"Thank you Sky. I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Rain said with a grateful smile before turning and heading into the backyard. With that task accomplished Sky sighed and went back to collapse on the couch. She considered sending a letter to her parents but quickly dismissed that idea. It was Alistair's business and besides they would find out soon enough.

* * *

Amai chewed on her thumbnail as she read over the sheet of paper in her hand again. One of the Guild Knights had given it to her earlier and now she couldn't stop looking at it over and over again.

At the start of next year the Guild would be initiating a new program specifically for hunters who had adopted, raised, or in some other way legally acquired a monster as their partner. The monster had to be an active participant during their hunts and they had to have been out together on several Rank 3 or above quests in the past year at the time program began.

While there was no official or even a tentative name yet, the goal of the program was to form a small unit of hunters and monsters who could perform rescue operations. Right now if a hunter was lost during a quests there was little recourse for finding them. If another hunter in the area didn't or couldn't find them then it was usually just written off and a sad letter sent to their remaining family about the loss along with any personal effects the hunter had.

This new program would form a specialized rescue unit that was meant to help cut down on the number of hunters lost, abandoned, or missing on quests. Each hunter and monster pair would be assigned to a certain area, small at first and increasing as they proved their ability to handle rescue operations. Alternatively they could be removed from the program if they didn't meet the qualifications. Monsters had to be at least eight months to a year old to be accepted into the program so specialized training could begin.

This was the first time Amai had heard of it and she was sure that Alistair would have gotten an invitation as well had she not been retiring.

"What do you think Raiden? How would you like a new job?" she asked and immediately the zinogre beside her perked up with interest. While he was still very much a playful energetic puppy he also had been developing the more serious traits and temperament of an adult lately. Raiden also loved going to work. If she so much as looked at her armor and weapons he was jumping to his feet eager to go with her, eager to learn and eager to be trained. He was honestly the type of monster partner that hunters dreamed up. He loved doing it and he knew when to be serious and focused on a hunt and when he was allowed to relax and be playful.

"Well I'll take that as a yes then," Amai said with a laugh. She rubbed behind his ears as Raiden thumped his tail happily on the ground.

"Amai! Alistair is back and her sister is here. We're all going out to eat when Alistair is done getting ready. My treat. I'm going to ask Shurika or Seiva to babysit," Rain called to her from the back porch.

"Okay I'm coming!" Amai shouted back. Reaching into the bag beside her she pulled out a bone for Raiden. He jumped to his feet and took it gently from her hands before racing off with it in his jaws. That would easily keep him occupied for the rest of the night.

Amai smiled and watched as Raiden settled down into his favorite spot underneath a palm tree. His usual entourage of thunderbugs was sparking and flitting about around him although they pulled back when he started chewing on his new bone.

_Looks like this is a new beginning for me as well. I wonder if I should tell Alistair over dinner tonight? I think she'd be happy but it might also remind her of what could have been with Akairo and Ginouji. Maybe I'll ask Rain for her opinion first before I break the news,_ Amai thought. She read over the invitation one more time before folding it up and heading inside to get ready.

* * *


	7. One Year Marker

There were a lot of things that Alistair was grateful for but she never would have guessed that a Crimson Qurupeco who couldn't seem to stop talking would be one of them.

Jasper had thrown himself into teaching Ginouji and Akairo everything he felt they needed to know. To be honest Alistair couldn't even begin to describe how grateful she was to have him around especially since Ginouji and Akairo had started learning how to glide recently. While neither of them had gone very far or jumped off very high places yet, she still would have been lost if not for Jasper helping to give them confidence and safety tips. As they grew and started becoming bolder, Jasper was teaching them how to land safely, how to avoid something in their way, and how to stay steady in "dangerous air" as he called it.

Alistair had learned quickly that while Jasper loved to play tricks on others he wouldn't take unnecessary chances when it came to teaching Ginouji and Akairo. In some ways he was stricter then her and she was their mother. She often wondered at the fact that Jasper didn't have a mate. Qurupeco generally raised eggs together until the fledglings were old enough to leave the nest but Jasper clearly didn't have a mate and didn't seem all that interested in one either. On the other hand he had been a wonderful help and example to Ginouji and Akairo so Alistair wasn't going to complain about it.

"Make sure get to nest and land fast when big sky rumbles come," Jasper explained fluffing up his feathers as thunder rumbled in the distance. A storm was rolling in off the ocean. Alistair figured they had another half hour before the downpour reached them.

"Big bright flashes look for high things hit first. Get blown right out of sky if stay in air! Find low place and stay until big rumbles leave," Jasper said with the proud of air someone imparting great wisdom to others. Alistair was just trying her best not to laugh at his expressions as he did so.

"When get bigger learn to tell difference. Feel when rain and bright flashes coming even if can't see them. Learn how long left before must find nest until storm go by. Takes time. Must learn that by doing, not hearing," Jasper noted sagely.

Ginouji and Akairo growled in understanding.

"Now pretty 'peco leave for home. Come back soon. Teach more big words!" Jasper said with a wiggle of his tail before spreading his wings and taking off back for wherever his nest was.

"Come on in you guys!" Alistair called out to them. Rain had torn down the small hut they used to sleep in and built a huge building instead. It was pretty bare since its only purpose was to be watertight and stand up to storms. It was where they slept now and stayed when storms blew in. Even Seiva slept in their occasionally although Shurika generally just slept underwater.

Both rathalos came running back over to her as the wind started to pick up. It was amazing to see how big they were getting and how fast they were growing. Both of them could easily look her in the eyes now and were even taller when they rose up to look around. They had also learned that they had to be a lot more gentle with her. Even more then before. Their baby teeth had fallen out leaving much bigger adult ones in their place and their talons had grown sharper. The small bumps across their body wouldn't start turning into spikes until their third year when they started reaching sexual maturity. The intimidating adult roar they kept trying to practice would start developing then as well.

One thing that hadn't changed any was how much they loved her and now that they were able to start talking they delighted in using every chance they had to tell her that. Alistair rubbed under their chins and gave both of them hugs as they nuzzled her affectionately.

"Mmma? Eve soon?" Akairo asked as he bumped her shoulder with his head. Their pronunciation and phrasing still left much to be desired but they were improving and she could generally understand them which was what mattered most to them. Their version of 'mom' was a combination of a humming sound they used for happiness and "ma" which was the most they could make out of mom at the present.

"Yes, we'll leave tomorrow. Then you'll get to see my parents," Alistair told them. They would be traveling over land this time by caravan since Alistair's home village wasn't that far away. The journey would take a few days and both rathalos had been getting more and more excited as the time to leave got closer and closer.

Technically Alistair was supposed to have visited them months ago but after talking it over with Rain she had decided to put it off in favor of focusing more on her own health. They did write to each other all the time but this was different. She was feeling stronger emotionally now and felt like she was in a much better place. She finally felt ready to go back home and deal with the bad memories that would surely come up while she was there.

"Ove mmma," Ginouji said letting his head rest lightly on her shoulder. as he again declared his affection for her. "Ayy. See rrrain?" Ginouji asked hopefully.

"Sure I'll stay and watch the storm with you for a while, but then I have to get everything ready for tomorrow," she reminded them. Both of them flapped their wings happily and circled around, taking spots on the floor as Alistair went to close the large rolling door partially to they wouldn't be covered in rain when the storm hit.

Coming back Alistair sat down between them and smiled as Akairo put his head in her lap. She stroked his scales gently and relaxed as he sighed and closed his eyes.

"Mmma? Ell sorry?"Ginouji asked with a bump to her arm.

"A story? Okay I'll tell you guys a story about the first time I faced a Great Jaggi. I've shown you those in books before and this one was really big and nasty with claws as big as my sword," Alistair said holding her hands up to demonstrate. So maybe that was exaggerated a bit but they didn't need to know that.

Akairo had lifted his head now and both of their eyes widened as they listened.

"It could leap from one wall to the next in a single jump and it could call smaller jaggi to come and help anytime it wanted as well," Alistair continued. "I knew I wouldn't be able to take on the Great Jaggi and all of the little jaggi just by myself. I needed to be smarter," she tapped her head and paused for dramatic effect just as a perfectly timed crack of thunder rumbled through the air.

"Ow fit? Ow fit?" Akairo asked urgently. He was trying to ask how she fought. Their pronunciation may need a lot of work but to be fair they had only started speaking three months ago and putting words together into sentences last month. Still while she was thrilled to see them speaking it could sometimes be impossible to parse out what they were trying to say. Alistair wondered if parents of human kids had to go through this when their babies started speaking.

"I set a trap. Dug a big, big hole and covered it with leaves. Then I placed fresh meat all over it. The little jaggi weren't big enough to fall through, but as soon as the Great Jaggi came along... BAM!" Alistair clapped her hands for effect making both of them jump. "Down he went into the hole. All the other jaggi got real scared and ran away but the Great Jaggi doesn't have wings so he couldn't fly out. He tried to climb up but before he did I took my sword and I put it right into his neck. One hit so he didn't have to suffer," Alistair said waving her arms around to demonstrate.

Both of them rumbled in appreciation.

"Fit smar, ay liv?" Ginouji asked her.

"That's right. Fight smart and you'll stay alive. Sometimes a monster might be bigger then you are, or faster, or stronger. If you just run in you could get hurt. So you have to be smarter. They can't hurt you if they can't hit you," Alistair explained. There was another rumble of thunder as the rain started to fall outside.

"Each fit? So ow fit?" Akairo wanted to know. This time it took her a few seconds before she figured out what he was asking.

"Yes, I'm going to start showing both of you how to fight. Seiva and Shurika have already been helping you, but I'll show you how to fight against humans. And we know how to take down monsters waaayyyy bigger then we are so you'll have to be real smart," she said smiling as both of them loudly and vocally proclaimed just how big and bad they were.

* * *

"I guess this is goodbye in more ways then one hunh?" Amai asked as she played with the strap of one of the bags she was carrying.

"You'll be fine and this is a great opportunity to help people," Rain assured her even as Alistair stepped up to give her a tight hug.

"You've become an amazing hunter these past few months Amai. You and Raiden both," Alistair said nodding to the zinogre curiously sniffing over the caravan much to the dismay of the aptonoth pulling it. While Ginouji and Akairo had another two or three years of growing left, Raiden only had one. If his current size was anything to go by then he was going to be a much, much larger then the average zinogre indeed. Amai was already riding him and training him to pull loads and carry bags. As his playful puppy side faded away he had developed into a fast, agile and powerful predator.

"This job is going to be perfect for both of you. Raiden is a great hunting partner and the Guild could really use people like you. If you ever need anything just send a letter okay? You're always welcome to come back here," Rain said squeezing her shoulder.

"Thanks, both of you. I'll be sure to send letters letting you know how things are going. I'll make sure all the training and tips you gave me don't go to waste, Alistair," Amai said warmly.

"I may not be hunting anymore but I'm glad that I was able to pass on some of my knowledge to someone at least. It's going to be difficult. Be nice and helpful but don't forget to stand your ground and make sure you take care of yourself. Some hunters out there will take advantage of your generosity if you don't make sure you set limits for yourself," Alistair told her.

"I'll make sure I keep that in mind and thank you for the new harness Rain. I can tell Raiden is a lot more comfortable in it then the one I made," Amai said looking back at Raiden who was now pacing about impatiently. Something was happening and people were leaving and he wanted to leave too, not stand around waiting.

"Leather and hide is generally more readily available, but I've always preferred scales. I get all of mine from my lagiacrus when I clean them or when they shed every year but other land dwelling monsters with scales work as well. It can be just as strong as leather and holds up better in bad weather and with less oil as long as you be sure to apply it regularly," Rain advised her.

"Also be careful with the types of materials you use and have around him. I learned that lesson raising my lagiacrus. Anything in his vicinity that can hold a charge is going to build on up over time and it will get worse as he gets older so learn which metals and materials are most conductive or prone to static electricity because..."

"GUYS!" Amai interrupted with a wave of her hands. "Look I love both of you very much but I swear you are acting worse then my own parents did when I told them about this! Besides I'm really trying not to cry and neither of you are helping in that area," she added with a sniff.

"Sorry, sorry just... if you need anything at all..." Rain started again.

"I know and I think you greatly for all the help, advice and patience. Now worry about yourselves and get going already! I know Alistair's parent's must be eager to see her again," Amai said shooing them away. She had a point and both Rain and Alistair took their places in one of the caravan wagons after making sure Ginouji and Akairo were secure on the one behind them.

Amai was mounting up and within a few moments her and Raiden were trotting off the other way down the road. She would be spending the next month traveling by land to the isolated forest where the new Guild school was located. She had gotten an announcement that the start of the school had been pushed back to spring instead of the start of the year to allow for more students and to make sure they didn't have to travel during the middle of winter or summer.

Still it wasn't easy to watch her leave but she was legally an adult and ready to make her own way in the world. It was so strange for Alistair to think that around this time last year she had been watching two eggs hatch right in front of her.

"Stop worrying."

Alistair snapped out of her thoughts as Rain wrapped and arm around her shoulders.

"I'm not worrying I'm just..."

"Stressing out?"

"Oh shut up."

Alistair relaxed and let her head rest on Rain's shoulder.

"Nervous?" Rain asked her.

"Scared to death. It's been so long since I've been home and now... well... there's us," Alistair's hand went up to play with the opal pendant hanging from her neck.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. We still have three days of traveling ahead of us. For now let's just focus on getting there without anyone getting their fingers bitten off," Rain said as a loud hiss and a yelp came from the covered wagon behind them.

"How many times have I told you to leave those monsters alone! They are perfectly fine so long as yahoos like you quite pestering them!" the booming voice of the caravan leader shouted out.

Alistair grinned and took one last look at the house before the whistle went up and they started moving.

* * *

Amai jotted down a few more marks on her map and carefully examined it. Her solo quests and upbringing were definitely coming in handy when it came to keeping track. Everyone in her village had been taught from a young age how to create and use a map as well as how to navigate without them. It was so easy to get lost in the mountains even if it was a place you had grown up in. The snow could easily cover tracks you might have needed to get your bearings. Here it was proving to be water.

She was two weeks travel from Tanzia Port now and the tropical jungle had long since given way to more the wet Flood Forest as she slightly southwest. Directly west was the tail end of a mountain range that separated the jungle from the plains leading into the desert. North of there were the open plains where Alistair's family lived and farmed. Now Amai was turning to head further south, cutting across a portion the otherwise uninhabited Flooded Forest before coming back to the jungle and making her way to Everwood.

_Well uninhabited by people at least,_ Amai thought as she heard the roar of a rathian followed by a loud squeal. Everwood was still a week away and then she needed to find the school amid the crumbling ruins and forested landscape. The map showed a lake and a waterfall as well. The school was located near there. Thankfully Raiden knew how to swim if it came down to it. The large, lush area would be the perfect training ground for hunters and their non human partners.

But first they had to get out of the Flooded Forest. They could have gone around but that would have added more days then she wanted to spend to her already month-long travel time. Besides it was proving to be great training for Raiden who wasn't used to being in such wet conditions for so long. His scales and fur were holding up well but he wasn't able to use his nose which meant he was finally forced to lean more heavily on the other tracking techniques she had showed him.

Folding the map, Amai wrapped it back up in its waterproof covering and put it away. Preparing for a quest was one thing, but being out on her own for weeks at time and living off the land was another. Everything she had learned growing up and everything she had picked up since becoming a hunter was really being put to the test. It gave her so much more respect for how her community and other tribes lived.

There was something incredibly satisfying about being out here though. Knowing that she had the skills she needed to survive and a partner by her side to keep her company. Sure she didn't want to stay out here forever and she would be incredibly happy to get to the Guild School but for now she wanted to enjoy the moment.

A piercing shriek cut through the air making Amai sigh heavily even as Raiden perked up at the sound. That was definitely human. So much for enjoying the moment. Amai shook the water off her cloak and pulled her hat down tighter.

"Come on boy let's go see what that was," Amai directed. Raiden growled and with a lurch was off and running through the forest towards the sound. He tracked the location while Amai took careful mental note of where they had been and what direction they were now running in. Getting lost here would be a nightmare. She had much better survival skills then the average person but even she wasn't good enough to find her way out a swamp without help.

There was another yell this time followed by a roar that sounded like... what was that? It was too deep to be a jaggi but not deep enough for a Great Jaggi and they didn't live in such rain soaked areas like this anyway.

Raiden growled again and this time Amai could feel him building up a charge. Her saddle and riding clothes were lined with non-conductive materials but she would also rather not test their efficiency in the Flooded Forest during a downpour.

_Hopefully whatever it is will just..._ Amai's thoughts were cut off when Raiden emerged from the trees and onto the bank of a river. Directly in front of them was a huge fish with giant spikes on it's puffed up back and a light of some kind hanging from its head.

_What in the name of all that's holy is that?_ Amai thought as the creature opened a mouth full of wicked looking teeth and lunged at a guy holding a long sword. His armor marked him as a hunter and the jaggi behind him must be his partner judging from the way it was hovering so closely without attacking. On closer inspection Amai could tell the jaggi was probably three or four years old and was beginning to become a Great Jaggi. It was the right size but his scales had only just started to change color, the spikes on his tail were just tiny bumps at the moment, and the fur on his back hadn't come in yet. That's where the strange roar had come from.

Both hunter and monster scrambled out of the way as the creature rolled over trying to crush them.

"Okay, Raiden you know what to do!" Amai told him as she gave him the 'hold and fight' command. She scrambled down off him and stepped back as Raiden took a few steps forward and howled. The giant fish monster paused and turned towards him. It puffed up again and gurgled angrily.

Raiden had built up a bigger charge now and let loose with another howl, this time letting electricity fly towards the monster, not hitting it but close enough that it could easily feel the heat and power from it. It backed up so fast it nearly ran over the jaggi who had jumped in to bite at its side to harass it. Turning around it shuffled quickly back to the river and heaved itself in disappearing beneath the water. It may be upset but it wasn't going to fight some strange electricity throwing beast over it either.

"You okay? What was that thing?" Amai shouted as she hurried over to Raiden's side. Saving someone didn't always mean they would be grateful and she wasn't going to let this hunter take a swipe at her zinogre in his panic. He lowered his sword and doubled over as he sucked in quick breaths.

"I'm... oh man... I'm good! I'm good!" He waved one arm at her and stood up again. "That I believe was a gobul. Generally hides in the river bottom and uses that lure on it's head to attract prey. Hunters are... generally discouraged from trying to fight any water dwelling monsters unless they can be lured onto land. Fighting in the water isn't really that feasible and going without armor so you..." he stopped and cleared his throat.

"Sorry. Point is I'm very grateful for your help. I'm not sure how long I would have lasted against that thing otherwise. I've read about them but seeing them up close is another thing," he said as the jaggi came up and narrowed his eyes at her. Raiden lowered his head and bared his teeth in warning.

"Be nice Grimm," he warned as Amai reached up and scratched under his chin reassuringly.

"Are you heading to the Guild School as well? We were on track until we stumbled across that gobul," he added looking hopeful. No doubt fishing for the chance to come along with them. Jaggi were pretty smart and could be a great help, or just great at harassing things, but a zinogre would provide a lot of extra reassurance.

"I am. I didn't want to take the time to go all the way around the Flooded Forest so I'm just cutting across to get back to the trail. You can follow me if you like," Amai offered even as the warnings Alistair had given her hovered in the back of her mind. This guy looked harmless enough though so she would give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

"Thanks! I'm Marcus by the way. I promise we'll try our best not to slow you down," he promised with a quick salute before hurrying to climb back up into Grimm's saddle. Amai too climbed back up on Raiden's back and patted him affectionately. He had handled that well. He hadn't gone running into danger but he hadn't hesitated to act either. Her parents would be so proud of how he had grown. She had visited them months ago and apologized for how rashly she had acted. They in turn had apologized for smothering her so much. Now things were much better and they always looked forward to updates from her. They had taken the news of her new potential assignment with the Guild with much more enthusiasm then when she first talked about becoming a hunter.

"All right. Everyone ready?" Amai asked.

Marcus finished securing the last of his bags and looked up. Grimm nudged one of the bags and growled. Marcus loosened the strap a bit.

"We're ready!" he called out.

"Okay, Raiden let's get back on the trail," Amai commanded. Raiden huffed and turned back looking for the thin, washed out trail they had been on.

* * *


	8. Homecoming

Alistair hummed a tune to herself as she wrote in her journal. She had filled up a couple already and had just started a new one. Every day, sometimes a couple times a day, she wrote down her thoughts, feelings and most importantly details about Ginouji and Akairo. She had started to think more seriously about publishing these journals for others to read. Well the parts that were about her rathalos at least. She didn't want people reading everything that was in here otherwise there would be no point in keeping it private.

It was hard to believe she was finally going back to her old home again albeit in a much better state of mind then before. These past few months had shown Alistair more then ever how valuable getting help had been. Finding the right doctor, medicine and course of action had taken time and she'd been hurt more then helped along the way but sticking it out and accepting help had absolutely been the best decision.

_I had almost forgotten what it was like to be happy again. To wake up and look forward to the day instead of dreading it or wishing I could just..._ Alistair cut off that train of thought sharply. She still had plenty of bad days, bad weeks even. No need to bring another one on prematurely. She finished writing and put her things away in the bag beside her.

Looking up, Alistair smiled and settled in to watch Ginouji and even Akairo as they played with Rain. To her surprise it had been Akairo who had the most trouble adjusting after Rain shyly proposed by offering her the opal necklace Alistair was now wearing and they had made their relationship official. Neither her nor Rain really wanted any special attention so instead they had just cooked a feast with Amai providing plenty of meat and fish from her hunting. Even the monsters got to enjoy a special meal along with a bonfire on the beach. It was then that Alistair started to notice Akairo's reticence and budding jealousy. While Ginouji had been thrilled, Akairo had turned sullen and angry to the point of avoiding Rain.

It wasn't until Akairo snapped at Rain, baring his fangs in a fit of jealous anger that Alistair finally smacked him on the nose and shouted a sharp "NO." It wasn't hard enough to hurt and certainly hadn't done any damage. If anything it had hurt her hand more then his tough hide and her palm had stung for hours afterwards. But the act did shock him. Alistair had never even raised her voice at them. Part of her instantly felt extremely guilty for doing it and the shocked and hurt look in Akairo's eyes hadn't helped.

It was easy for her to forget sometimes that for all their intelligence they were still monsters. Not just monsters but ones that could and would kill not just for food but in self defense or even in anger. Alistair would be the first to admit that she spoiled them heavily but biting? That kind of behavior couldn't be excused not even for a second. A monster that snapped back as a hatchling could easily take off a person's arm in a fit of anger when they became an adult. No matter how guilty she felt at the time Alistair was so glad now that she had stuck to her decision to discipline Akairo for what he did. It had been a rough time and for weeks she had to go back to straight back to the basics, ignoring or disciplining his bad behavior and rewarding him for his patience and good behavior around Rain.

Finally, Akairo had learned to accept that things had changed and that Alistair would be spending more time with Rain. He understood that his bad behavior would not be rewarded with more attention like he wanted but with less. It wasn't until he stopped his bad attitude and lashing out that Alistair rewarded him. Things had settled down now but it hadn't been the best start for any of them.

Now Akairo had come to respect Rain and to appreciate how much she and Alistair cared for each other. Ginouji meanwhile had developed a much deeper and more personal relationship with Rain even if he still avoided other people. Alistair was also more aware of making sure that Akairo got more personal one on one attention from her. That had gone a long way towards making him feel more secure and had headed off the friction that she had started to see developing between him and his brother.

"Exhausting sometimes isn't it?"

Alistair looked up to see the caravan leader standing there beside her watching the playful antics. Her brown skin glowed in the light of the fire and her hazel eyes were bright with joy to match the laugh lines on her face.

"You have kids?" Alistair asked her and the woman grinned and beat the dust off her wide brimmed hat.

"Three. All teenagers now and I love them so much my heart could burst even when they get moody on me," she said with a laugh before turning to look at a group of teens who were sitting around a fire playing music and laughing together. "Thrilling sometimes, heartbreaking other times, but always worth it. I imagine having little ones like your beasts ain't much different in that aspect," she added wryly.

"I'll drink to that. You want to sit down...?"

"Amelia's the name. Nice to meet you finally after a day on the road. I have to admit your rathalos have been better then I expected. Long as my people had enough sense to keep their hands to themselves that is," Amelia said letting out a grunt as she sat down in the simple wooden stool next to Alistair. Alistair poured a mug of cider for her and Amelia nodded gratefully.

"They've spent time around other people and in crowds so they can be well behaved when they want to be," Alistair explained after a moment of thought. Amelia let out a bark of laughter.

"When they want to be! Sounds like my kids! I like that!" Amelia chuckled giving Alistair a wink as a teenage boy sitting at a fire a short distance away shouted about how he heard that. Amelia blew her son a kiss before turning back to Alistair.

"Seriously though you've done a great job raising them. Dangerously smart those wyverns of yours but more well behaved then any I've ever seen and I've been doing this a long time," Amelia said taking a sip of the cider.

"What I really wanted to ask was whether or not you two were okay," she added more seriously this time. Alistair looked at her in surprise.

"I... um... thank you?" Alistair asked in confusion. Where exactly was this coming from?

"One of my boys saw that your spouse has been pretty jumpy around the other passengers and told me about it. Just wanted to make sure no one else on this trip was harassing you two," Amelia explained. The look in her eyes said that anyone who had would have to deal with her. Alistair relaxed at that explanation.

"No everyone has kept to themselves so far. Rain is just..." Alistair paused, realizing abruptly that it wasn't her place to say. "Us being together in public can make her really nervous sometimes. She's... she's been through a lot," she said being honest but vague. Amelia nodded and drained her mug. Standing up she brushed herself off and shook Alistair's hand in a firm grip.

"Can't blame her for that then. It's not easy carrying that kind of baggage around let me tell you. Just be patient and learn to use your words to communicate you hear? Would've avoided a lot of trouble with my first husband if I had learned that lesson a lot earlier in life," Amelia said with a wry smile.

"Thanks for the concern. I really appreciate it," Alistair said gratefully.

"Anytime. We'll be heading out again not long after sunrise so make sure to rest up," Amelia said before heading off back to her own family. A few minutes later Rain walked back over, leaving Ginouji and Akairo to their tug of war game with a fallen branch.

"What was that about?" Rain asked with a nod towards Amelia.

"Just making sure that the other passengers weren't bothering us," Alistair explained as Rain grabbed the stool next to her and sat down.

"That's nice of her. I'm sorry if I've been..." Rain stopped and rubbed her neck uncomfortably. "Just... thanks for being patient with me. I'm trying to get better but I know this isn't easy on you and I hate feeling like you're missing out on things because of my worries and insecurities," she added her expression melting into one of worry and stress. Alistair reached over and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Baby steps right? Besides a little patience is the least I can offer after all you're doing to support me as well. It would be hypocritical if I didn't. Besides I still have plenty of anxiety myself. How are things going with Ginouji and Akairo?" Alistair said switching to a happier topic.

"Much better. Ginouji might have a new favorite now," Rain said with a teasing smirk.

"I'll just forget you said that. What about Akairo? You two seem a lot closer. Certainly an improvement over a few months ago," Alistair asked her.

"We are doing better but I've noticed a difference between how the two of them navigate. I'm not sure if it's a natural ability or if it's something unique to Silver Rathalos but Ginouji always seems to know where he is. On the times I've been out hunting with him he always seems to know his bearings even if we've gone to an area he's never seen before," Rain stated thoughtfully.

"And Akairo?" Alistair asked as she reached over to the pot simmering over the fire. She grabbed a bowl and poured out some of the vegetable stew for Rain. She accepted the meal gratefully and ripped off a chunk of bread from the loaf Alistair handed to her as well.

"He's a different story. Ginouji always just seems to know where he's at or at least which direction to go in. Akairo I've seen get visibly lost on occasion although only for a few moments so far. I can see him looking around for trails, trees, rocks, any distinct feature that he remembers and can use to figure out where he is or is supposed to be," Rain paused to dip her bread in the stew. Alistair let her eat for a while as she thought that over.

"Have you considered teaching him to navigate?" Alistair asked suddenly and Rain looked up in surprise.

"Teffing hmm ut?" she mumbled around her mouthful. Alistair's nose wrinkled in disgust and she scowled until Rain swallowed and tried again.

"Teaching him what?"

"To navigate. Using the stars I mean. Just like I've seen you do on the week long voyages around the island chain. The kind you keep trying to show me when we go out treasure hunting and that I keep failing miserably at," Alistair said with a sigh even as Rain nudged her with good humor.

"I just don't understand how you can be so incredibly good with a map and yet get so hopelessly turned around when using the stars," Rain teased.

"My _point_ is that maybe you could try teaching Akairo? He wouldn't understand anything too complicated, but we already know he's smart enough to recognize shapes and connect images. Plus I've seen them track shooting stars across the night sky before. So their eyes are good enough to see and recognize individual stars. Even if it was just the brightest stars and a few basic constellations it might help him in the future one day," Alistair suggested. Rain hummed and took a few more bites as she considered that.

"I hadn't thought of that but it might help. If nothing else it might help him feel more confident with himself being able to do something that his brother can't. I'll see how the weather is tomorrow night," Rain answered.

There was a loud bark of surprise as the tree branch snapped sending Ginouji flying backwards while Akairo just stumbled and stood there in surprise for a moment before huffing with laughter. Ginouji growled in irritation as he climbed back to his feet, clearly not amused. Akairo shook the remaining stump tauntingly but Ginouji fluttered his wings and puffed up angrily before stomping away to the back of the wagon they had been riding in.

"He does still like to pout doesn't he?" Alistair mused as Akairo strutted back them looking very proud of himself.

"Can't imagine where he gets that from... OW!" Rain yelped as Alistair elbowed her in the side.

"Want to try saying that again?" Alistair asked testily.

"I regret nothing," Rain said unrepentantly although she did slide her stool out of further elbowing distance.

* * *

Alistair chewed on her fingernail nervously as she watched the tropical forest thin out into lush, carefully cultivated farmland around them. After days of traveling they were finally there. Well almost.

The mountain range separating them from the desert was still visible on their left and curved around back towards the ocean. The clouds drifting in from the occean got trapped by the mountains, shedding most of their rain here before drifting over to the edge of the desert as fog. This meant that the tropical forest and deeper jungle surrounding Tanzia Port turned into a wide area, not quite a valley or a basin, that had been treasured for centuries for its fertile soil. The farmland here was responsible for a big percentage of the fruits and vegetables that went to a few of the much larger cities along the coast, including Tanzia Port. Fresh fruit could provide and invaluable source of vitamins for sailors on long voyages at sea. Alcoholic drinks and sugar products were another big export.

There were three villages total in the area. One at the base of the mountains to the left, one more in the center where the caravan was heading and the last over to the right where the ground turned into wetlands leading out to the ocean.

Already neat rows of fruit trees and tall sugar stalks were starting to line both sides of the road with monsters of all shapes and sizes helping their human partners or helping to haul bags and carts filled with produce. It was beautiful to see but also increased Alistair's anxiety with every sign that she recognized. They still had a few hours to go before reaching the village center where they would be dropped off.

Alistair felt a gentle hand rubbing her back and sighed heavily.

"I keep telling myself I agreed to this but it's not helping very much," Alistair said as she leaned back from the open window. She readjusted the cord holding the wooden shutters open to make sure it didn't fall. She was desperate for something to do but the small caravan wagon didn't offer much beyond a bed, cooking supplies, and a door to come in and out of.

"Anything I can do to help?" Rain asked adjusting her position so Alistair could settle in at her side.

"Not really. Not until we actually arrive and get off. Until then I'm just going to keep fraying my nerves," Alistair grumbled as she leaned forward to look out the window again before leaning back. She could hear the curious noises from the wagon behind them as Ginouji and Akairo poked their heads out of the windows to look around.

"At least someone is enjoying this," she grumbled even as she went back to chewing on her fingernails again.

"Okay look, I love you very much but if you keep doing that I swear I am going to jump out of this wagon and walk," Rain said giving Alistair a look of intense long suffering.

"What?" Alistair asked before looking down at her hand. "Oh! I'm sorry I didn't realize I was doing it that much," she said sheepishly as she let Rain pull her hand away.

"Just please keep from doing it the rest of the way so I can salvage what's left of my nerves please," Rain pleaded.

"No promises," Alistair said with a tiny smile. She took a deep breath and let out. There was nothing she could do and fidgeting wasn't going to help time flow any faster.

"Here. Why not sketch something instead? Maybe it'll help settle your mind until we get there," Rain offered. She reached over and grabbed the pad of sketching paper and pencils. While Alistair had started helping Rain out at the shop and on her newly purchased ship pulling up treasures from the ocean floor, she had also started to experiment with art. She had always enjoyed sketching in her spare time and discovered that she had a lot of natural talent. However natural talent could only carry you so far so now she was actually trying to improve her drawing abilities.

For the rest of the trip Alistair worked on a drawing of the caravan rolling past the fruit trees. She would probably leave it for Amelia when she was done. They still had hours to go and not much else in the way of entertainment so she should be done long before they rolled into the center of town.

* * *

"You sure I can have this?" Amelia asked as she admired the sketch Alistair had just given her.

"Sure. It's not much but I wanted to thank you all the same," Alistair said appreciatively.

"Not much? Have you seen this? You should be selling this kind of thing to rich folks not handing it out for free! Wait just a second I need to get you something for this," Amelia said and headed off before Alistair could object.

Rain walked up beside her with Ginouji and Akairo in tow. She had a couple bags in hand and the rathalos had the rest evenly balanced on their back or sides. It wasn't much but both were more then happy to help out.

"She like it?" Rain asked her.

"So much so that she wants to give me something as payment for it. Apparently I should be getting rich people to buy it from me," Alistair teased. Rain just rolled her eyes and slung a bag over her shoulder.

"I think you'll have to settle for me carrying your personal bag and art supplies," Rain countered as Amelia reappeared.

"Here you go! Not much but I hope it helps. Been carrying it around for ages but never had any use for fancy antiques like this. Maybe you'll be able to get something for it," Amelia said. She grabbed Alistair's hand and pressed a small bag of coins in her her palm. "Now don't object or complain. Just say thank you and keep working on those lovely art pieces of yours," Amelia said with a tip of her hat.

"Thank you so much. Have a safe trip," Alistair said elbowing Rain when she tried to look over her shoulder.

"Much appreciated. I'll be back round in three weeks heading to Tanzia Port but there will be another caravan before me in about a week and a half if you feel like leaving sooner. Believe me I know how family can be sometimes," Amelia said with a wiggle of her eyebrows. "Let's get everything unloaded and checked out! I want to be out of here before the sun sets!" she yelled out as her teenagers and other employees started unloading supplies and checking lists. There were a few other passengers but only one other couple was getting off here.

Amelia had barely turned her back before Rain had pulled a coin out of the bag in Alistair's hand to look at it.

"Hey! Can't you be patient for five... is that pure silver?" Alistair said even as Rain flipped the silver coin around.

"Oh _now_ you're interested?" Rain said as she ran her thumb over the monster imprinted on it. "Definitely pure silver. This looks like a Goldbeard Ceadus. There used to be a thriving civilization near the eastern continent. The one of the people that lived on the island chain of islands in the south revered it as a guardian of the sea. Sent to protect the righteous and punish the innocent with storms. Their civilization is still around but they don't use metal currency anymore and the islands that did are underwater now. So coins like this are a rare find since they're most common underwater in places with a lot of volcanic activity," she explained giving the coin back to Alistair.

"Should we keep them or?" Alistair trailed off as Rain shook her head.

"I'd rather send a letter to a collector I know who lives over there. He'll know who to contact to see if any tribal elders would like the coins back or if they would be okay with them going to a museum instead," Rain told her.

"I'll make some sketches to go along with your letter. Until then I'll make sure it doesn't get lost," Alistair said even as Ginouji and Akairo sniffed at the bag curiously.

"Oh quit it. I'll show them to you later," she chastised.

"Sory? Good sory?" Akairo asked hopefully.

"I know a good story I can tell you later tonight. It's about a big sea monster. One even bigger then Shurika," Rain said with a smile as their eyes got wide in disbelief. Shurika was still the biggest monster they had ever seen so the thought of one even bigger and badder then her immediately captured their attention.

"You ready to do this?" Rain asked noticing the way Alistair was starting to fidget nervously again.

"No, but we can't stand here either. We're already attracting attention," Alistair sad. Sure enough a few of the locals were already staring curiously at the two young rathalos.

"I'm here if you need me okay?" Rain said gently.

"I know. Let's do this," Alistair said. She grabbed two of the bags from Rain and took a few deep breaths in and out to help steady herself.

The walk back through the village and fields was both nostalgic and strange. Some things were just as she remembered them while others were completely different now. More houses had been built along the road with the shutters on each big windows open wide to help catch the breeze blowing in from not too distant ocean.

Familiar monsters lifted their heads to watch or call out as they recognized Alistair. New ones she didn't recognize and in some cases couldn't even identify glanced over to see what the commotion was and either went back to working or had to be called back by their human partners when they got distracted by the sight of two young rathalos walking by. Ginouji and Akairo were busy looking around and everything around them. Craning their necks around so much to see everything that it was a wonder they didn't break something.

Before long they turned onto the path leading up to Alistair's old home. One side lined with fruit trees in bloom and the other with short vegetables almost ready for harvest.

Alistair slowed down a little as the house came into view. It was a one level building slightly raised off the ground like the others. It had been expanded a few times when they were younger and had recently gotten new wooden siding and a new roof from the looks of it. Alistair felt a deep twist of guilt upon realizing that it could just as easily be from a bad storm coming through as it could from simple years of weathering. She really hadn't been doing very well at keeping in touch with her family. But it wasn't until her parent's walked out of the front door that the guilt hit Alistair so hard that she stopped right in the middle of the road.

"They look so old now." Alistair didn't realize she had said it aloud until she felt Rain's hand on her lower back.

Alistair remembered looking in the mirror as a little girl and hoping she would have hair as nice as her mom one day. But now that once glossy black hair her mother had was streaked with gray and dark eyes that once glowed with humor and life were dull and tired. The limp that had barely broken her father's stride years ago now forced him to stop and grimace visibly with each step he took down the short stairs leading down from the front of the house.

Tears were quickly welling up in Alistair's eyes now as her parents stopped short just a few short steps away from the house. Guilt was crashing down on her harder then ever before. How long had she been holding a grudge against them? How long had she been resentful of what they had done? How long had she been hurting them, hurting her sister, hurting herself by staying away and refusing to even try to resolve things?

Realistically speaking what else were they supposed to do at the time? Their daughter was clearly in severe emotional pain, couldn't sleep for days at a time, suffered terrible nightmares and increasing anxiety around people, refused to talk about it and had increasingly bad flashbacks and delusions to the point where she had outright assaulted someone. Even then she refused to accept help. Even if they understood her fear and reluctance to go back to any hospital or doctor what else could they do but have her committed? Alistair had been a threat to herself, a threat to their neighbors and a threat to them. She wasn't just suffering she was dangerous and they couldn't ignore that fact any longer no matter how much they loved her. Alistair's parents had done the only thing they could do and forced her into treatment. It wasn't their fault it ended up badly. It wasn't their fault the physicians there hadn't known, understood or possibly just hadn't listened to what kind of help Alistair needed. Her parent's hands were tied. They had little choice but to have her committed or get her out of the house before she ended up hurting them as well. They had trusted the system and it failed. It didn't just fail Alistair it failed them. It promised help and only ended up pushing their daughter even farther out of their reach. This time not just emotionally but physically. They trusted a system that promised to help and it shattered what little relationship they were already trying so desperately to hold onto.

It wasn't their fault. None of this was their fault and it was wrong to blame them for trying to help. For doing the only thing they could have done at the time to help. Blaming them for someone else's mistakes hadn't made Alistair feel better. It hadn't helped their relationship and it hadn't helped her deal with her PTSD.

"Go on. They need you," Rain urged with a gentle push on her back. Alistair took a hesitant step forward before dropping her bags and walking further. Soon she was running and her mom was hurrying out to meet her, tears streaming down both of their faces.

Alistair was crying so hard she couldn't get any words out, couldn't apologize the way her mind was urging her to do. All she could do was wrap her arms around her mom and cry into her shoulder.

"I've missed you. I've missed you so much," her mom choked out. Alistair felt another pair of arms enclose her and knew that her dad was there as well.

After years of pain, suffering and healing she was finally back home.


	9. Close Encounters

The trip here had been a stressful one for both of them. Rain has been worrying constantly about how Alistair was going to handle being back in her home village, how the village would receive the two of them, and how things would turn out with Alistair's parents as well as how they would view herself after so many years. As much as Rain worried though she tried not to show it. This was about Alistair, not her. Although Alistair told her all the time not to hold things in it was a hard habit to break.

Thankfully things seemed to be going well. Better then they could have hoped actually. The first day they arrived, they had stayed up late into the night just talking. First were the apologies. Alistair for the way she had been treating her parents, then from her parents for not being able to do more to help which prompted Alistair to apologize more as well as telling them that they had no reason to feel that way. Things had turned out badly, but that wasn't their fault. They had done the only thing they could do at the time. They had trusted a system that ultimately failed all of them.

Alistair's parents had even apologized to her, something that had surprised Rain so much it rendered her speechless for a moment. They had apologized on Sky's behalf as well. Instead of being happy that Alistair had someone to trust and confide in they had gotten angry. Instead of trying to work together they had been jealous and resentful that Alistair trusted her instead of her own family. Instead of talking and apologizing for the way things had turned out both sides had let negative feelings simmer until it poisoned all of them.

There had been a lot of tears from everyone that night and plenty more in the three days since. But after years of tension and pain Alistair was finally making up with her family and talking to them again. Really talking. Telling them everything that was going on and opening up about how her treatment was going and how she felt. There were still sore wounds and scars but both sides were trying, really trying to make things better.

It was such a relief to see how happy Alistair was now that she was talking to her parents again instead of just sending stilted letters letting them know she was still alive. Their approval and support meant a lot more to Alistair then she had anticipated. She had told Rain as much on their second night here when they had a moment alone before bed to talk. Alistair had been wanting to make up with her family for months now, seriously make up with them, not just talk occasionally. But receiving their support and encouragement had hit her a lot harder then she anticipated making her feel both relieved for being able to clear the air and guilty for not doing it sooner.

The other villagers had welcomed back Alistair with some initial suspicion. Although to be fair their last memory was of her violently assaulting someone but soon they were warming welcoming her back and inviting her to so many different meals and gatherings that they had barely had a moment to breathe.

Rain's feelings meanwhile were more mixed.

* * *

Alistair grimaced as she heard Umar bring up his gay cousin for what must have been the fifth time. She glanced back over her shoulder and could easily read the irritation written all over Rain's face. Most of the people here in the village had been polite, perhaps a bit ignorant at times, but never deliberately mean and most all too willing to correct themselves when either of them pointed out something was offensive. In fact Rain had already had some wonderful discussions with a few of the villagers here and even made fast friends with some. Umar however was so determined to prove he wasn't bothered that he was only making things worse and everyone else uncomfortable in the process.

 _The more some things change the more others stay the same,_ Alistair thought wincing at the anger growing on Rain's face.

Even the other farmers standing around who had been tolerant of Umar's constant stream of conversation until now were starting to give him exasperated looks.

"So.. uh... you and Alistair hunh?" Umar asked as he played with his straw hat. Rain looked like she was about ready to snatch the hat out of his hands just so he would stop twisting it around. It was distracting even to Alistair and she was partially focused on something else.

"Yup," Rain responded simply and tried not to grimace. She had come out to enjoy a nice cup of tea and watch the farmers and their monster companions work. When Alistair said that a farmer had asked for an opinion on something she had been happy to tag along and let Alistair do her thing. She had not come out here to be accosted by one of the neighbors especially after telling him that she wasn't really here to talk.

"Nice girl. Good to see her getting help. Seems a lot happier now. Although I never expected her to be a..." Umar hesitated as Rain's head snapped over to him giving him a warning look. One of the farmers gave the man a glare so strong he flushed and cleared his throat. "Always was a bit... different as a child I meant to say. Doesn't matter I suppose. Good to see her back in the village. Lots of independent women around these days. Lot more then there used to be. Just not used to seeing women around who aren't at home or in the fields with us I supposed," he said with a loud laugh. No one else was smiling or laughing.

Alistair knew all too well that Rain had no interest in assuaging the fears of someone whose idea of being nice amounted to substituting one insult for another. Alistair was also proud of how calm Rain was being although she wouldn't blame her at all for losing her temper. Alistair had grown up with Umar and he did this all the time no matter how many times he was told to stop. She couldn't help but note that he never acted like this around men, only women. Particularly successful women. Somehow men by virtue of their gender seemed immune from the constant commentary about how comfortable he was around them or how too much independence was ruining small villages.

"Umar that's enough. There's no point in you being here if all you're going to do is make these ladies uncomfortable. We came out here to look at the fruit trees, not to pry into their business," Ferris said abruptly. This was his grove and he had asked Alistair to look at some of his trees that had bark stripped off the trunks.

"I'm just trying to make conversation," Umar said immediately getting defensive.

"Well I find it very interesting that you only make this kind of 'conversation' with women. Particularly with successful and intelligent women. If you feel threatened there are better ways to show it then by trying constantly to prove you aren't uncomfortable. Especially when that involves throwing out references to all the gay people you _think_ you've met in passing and barely spoken to," Ferris said gruffly, his tanned brown cheeks starting to turn red with anger. "If you aren't talking on and on about all the gay people you've met the second these two appear in your line of sight its about how women these days would rather leave their village then settle down and help their community. I don't like arguments and confrontation but this has gone on long enough and we've told you enough times to cut this kind of talk out. You're the only one around here who sees the need to talk like this whenever someone you aren't comfortable with come around. Particularly women. Whatever her station in life you find a way to make them feel uncomfortable if she's not a housewife or a farmer," he continued on angrily. "Nevermind that one of my daughters is a hunter, another is studying agriculture at that university in Val Habar and the other is an engineer on one of those airships."

Umar flushed red with anger this time.

"Fine. Be that way all of you. Apparently a man can't say anything that's on his mind these days," Umar complained as he slammed his hat back down on his head.

"You can say anything you want once you learn how to treat people with some more respect!" Ferris shot back as Umar turned and stomped away.

"I honestly thought he would have gotten better after all these years," Alistair noted once Umar was out of hearing range. Ferris sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead.

"I'm not a local but I've heard many echo those same sentiments ma'a'm. That's clearly not going to happen though. When my daughter came here to visit a few months ago after my wife and I were settled in he went on and on about how monster hunting is man's work. Not that he has a problem with women doing it. Not at all. He had a friend once who was a hunter don't you know?" Ferris said in an exasperated tone that Alistair couldn't help but smile at.

"A friend meaning someone he talked to once and who tolerated his comments rather then just straight up telling him to go away? That kind of friend?" Alistair asked as Rain walked over to them. Alistair reached out and put hand on her back. They could talk later when this was over. Rain gave her a grateful look in return.

"Pretty much. But let's get back to the reason why we came out here in the first place. Do you know what's happening to my trees? I've seen bnahabra damage before and this isn't it," Ferris said before crouching back down in front of the tree. Alistair stepped away from Rain and knelt down to inspect the wide patch of stripped bark a few inches above the trunk.

These trees were prized for the small brown and red fruit that made a wonderful cooking oil and body lotion as well as for the soft leaves which could be brewed into tea. Damage to even one tree could mean a big loss.

"These look like they could be from konchu. They strip a section of bark from tree trunks and lay their eggs inside the tree. Once the larvae hatch they eat the wood for a few days and use it as fuel until their shells harden enough for them to crawl out safely," Alistair explained to him. A few of the other villagers who also worked Ferris' fields had gathered around as well. Ferris wasn't a farmer by nature but he had taken over for his uncle here now that he was getting older and wasn't able to work the fields like he used to.

"So is the tree a loss?" Bradson asked. He was near the back of the group leaning on a tree hook, a farm tool used to pull branches closer without harming the tree.

"Konchu do damage trees but the larvae leave as juveniles pretty early so they usually don't kill them. If they do then it could be a sign that the tree was already sick, damaged or old," Alistair explained. She pointed to the pale white wood that had been exposed. "This tree is still healthy so the konchu larvae will eat it, but not kill it. Problem is that they leave behind openings that other neopterons and smaller insects can use and those will end up killing the tree. My suggestion is to make a paste or oil from something hot or spicy. Hot peppers or spicy mushrooms will work fine. They'll drive the larvae out early and dissuade anything else from trying to get inside again," Alistair stated. She stood up and dusted her knees off.

"Thanks. I figured it had to be a neopteron of some kind but I've usually only seen altaroth and bnahabra around here. I've been told konchu sightings aren't unusual but this is the first time I've seen one at my trees. My workers thought konchu might be it but some of them are new as well and suggested I ask someone from here. Never hurts to get a second opinion just in case," Ferris said. He reached out and shook her hand gratefully.

"It's no problem. You can plant spicy mushrooms around the trees as well to keep unwanted pests away. Not hot peppers though or they can start to affect the taste of the fruit and leaves. I do suggest looking into a pair of yian kut ku or a kecha wacha though," Alistair continued. "Kut ku love konchu most of all but they'll eat any neopteron they can fit into their mouth and they'll leave the plants themselves alone. If you want to use them for your fields then they work best if they have a friend. Kecha wacha can live alone and use their hands and claws to pull pests out of places that yian kut ku can't but they also require more personal attention from their handlers that kut ku don't otherwise they can get into a lot of trouble," she added helpfully.

"Really? I'll have to ask the village elders about getting some kut ku then. What do you think about getting a volvidon? I know the villages in the desert that use them to keep altaroth from eating their crops," Ferris asked but Alistair was already shaking her head at the question.

"Villages in more arid climates rely on different methods to pollinate their crops. A volvidon would be able to survive and live just fine here in a more humid forest climate but there's too big a chance that they would start eating the beehives. Not for the honey but for the insects themselves," she warned them. All of the farmers winced at that. Around here they relied heavily on bees and butterflies to pollinate their crops each year and losing the local beekeepers a few miles away would be a devstating hit to every field in the area.

"No volvidon then. We've already got an azuros living wild that get fed enough honey as it is to keep them away from the hives without something eating the bees themselves," Ferris said quickly. "Thanks again for the help and for the warning. I'll go send out some of my workers to round up those supplies so we can get started on these trees," he said gratefully.

"It's no problem. I'm not a monster hunter anymore but I still grew up with them here and I still love learning about them. If you need help clearing out the grove after harvest time then just ask my dad. I'm sure he wouldn't mind lending you Quake for a while," Alistair offered. She was referring to the old diablos who was probably snoozing in the sun somewhere.

Clearing out the groves and fields every year was a big job. Branches, trees that weren't bearing fruit, stumps, bundles of weeds, rocks and more. Someone had to move it all and having a big monster like a diablos around made it go a lot faster. He would even carry baskets and bags of produce or pull carts if they needed him too. A duramboros was too big and ate far too much for a village like this to handle not to mention the fact that they didn't care much for those who got underfoot. A diablos was not only smaller but also still a herbivore. They were easier to manage and surprisingly gentle with humans they had been raised with so the villagers didn't have to worry as much if one of the kids got too close to Quake.

"I appreciate that," Ferris told her. "Everyone around here has been a big help with me since my wife and I moved out here. Our village did everything themselves and the only monsters we saw were usually driven off or stayed well away from. So it has been a big adjustment seeing monsters working alongside people so closely. First time I saw that diablos in a field pulling out barren fruit trees and digging up stumps I was ready to scream for help," he said with a grin. "It's a very different way of life then I'm used to but I can really see the benefits," he added looking around at the fields with pride.

"We have to go but if you need anything while we're still here then let us know," Alistair said shaking his hand once more before leaving with Rain. They walked down the road between the fields heading towards the trails that wove through the surrounding forest. She waited until they were heading down one of the trails that lead deeper into the forest towards a lake and then looped back around to the village.

Alistair reached over and slid her hand into Rain's.

"You want to talk?" she asked gently. Rain pursed her lips and shook her head.

"Not really. I'm just..." Rain stopped and sighed heavily. "It's more then just Umar today but I don't really want to think about it," she said wearily. "I just want to be here enjoying the moment with you right now," she added.

Alistair was about to say something when a strange smell suddenly filled her nose. Rain stopped as well with a frown on her face.

"What is that?" Rain asked looking around for the source. It wasn't very powerful but it wasn't something Alistair could place either.

Alistair spotted a black and gold shape moving through the underbrush before a big black head suddenly lifted up less than 50 feet away. It didn't have any visible eyes and there were what might be wings attached to another pair of arms that rested against it's back. The wings were folded against the monster like a cloak and some of the fur on the wings had started to molt revealing gold scales underneath. Black and purple dust sifted down around it likely the source of that strange smell. Its nostrils flared and it spread it's wings, more dust floating around it as black and purple feelers suddenly rose from its head. Purple spots could be seen now on both sides of its head. Maybe the dust helped it to sense the environment somehow?

It hissed and stalked forward a few steps, swinging it's head back and forth through the cloud of black and purple dust it had raised around it.

Alistair froze and she felt Rain tense up beside her as well. It knew they were here. It didn't seem overly aggressive at the moment but that could easily change. Running would likely trigger a chase but they couldn't stand still if it kept coming forward either. Alistair wasn't a hunter anymore and she didn't have any weapons with her other then a large personal knife that Rain had bought for her as a gift. Their only options were to hope it didn't attack.

Alistair squeezed Rain's hand and tugged on it, urging her to step backwards. Rain glanced over at her and nodded. They moved incredibly slow and watched their step so they didn't step on anything.

The monster's black head swiveled in their general direction and stayed focused on them as they backed up off the trail and into the bushes. Alistair winced as the sharp thorns grabbed at her clothes but ripped clothing was better then ripped skin.

Finally the monsters feelers dropped down again and it huffed few times before bending its head back down. It rose back up with a dead adult kelbi its jaws and turned its back before leaping away and crashing through the forest in the other direction. That's why it hadn't attacked. It already had a meal and leaving it to chase after them would likely result in an opportunist stealing its meal away while it was distracted. Still they waited a few moments until they were sure it was gone before relaxing and extracting themselves from the thorny bushes.

"What in the world was that? I've never seen or heard of a monster that looks like that before," Rain said as she looked around carefully to make sure there was nothing else.

"I haven't either. We need to get back and report this to the village elders. A monster like that coming so close is very unusual. Especially when there's already one big diablos who lives here and a najarala in Hasse Village down by the wetlands," Alistair said. "I also want to see the village healer. I don't want to take any chances that we might have inhaled... whatever that stuff was that it was letting off," she added warily.

"I'm with you. Next time we go for a walk here we take Quake with us just in case," Rain said firmly.

* * *

Amai took a deep breath of the clean forest air and let out a sigh. After days of travelling they were almost at the Guild school where she would be spending the next few years of her life being trained along with Raiden.

"Another hour or so and we'll be there," Amai said making sure to keep in mind the slower pace of Marcus and his jaggi. Or to be more accurate his young Great Jaggi, Grimm. Over the past few days Grimm's body scales had been changing color noticeably and his frill had been growing bigger as well.

Amai folded her map and put it back into its waterproof and electricity resistant covering. As much as she loved being back in the wild and living off the land the way she had been raised it would still feel so good to sleep in a real building again. Anything more then the tent and sleeping roll she had packed away would suffice. Amai shuddered at the memory of trying to sleep in the wet mud of the Flooded Forest.

Raiden looked up at the sky curiously just moments before an unusual screech sounded above them. Amai followed his gaze up and saw what a giant bird wyvern circling them. It's belly was covered in gray feathers and its neck was yellow while the underside of its wings were a brilliant blue and purple. It's white face and bright red eyes could be seen even from down here.

"What in Ukanlos name is that?" Amai exclaimed in surprise only to flinch upon realizing what she had just said. Her parents would have tanned her hide for saying that carelessly if they had heard her just now. Anyone in her village would have and she would fully deserve it. The Tyrant of Ice, The White God may be their spiritual protector but it was also capable of shattering mountains and burying the world under a blanket of ice the tribe's story keeper told them. It was not a beast whose name should be invoked so carelessly.

Amai said a quick prayer begging forgiveness from Ukanlos and she threw in The Black God, The Tyrant of Fire Akantor for good measure as well.

"It's a malfestio!" Marcus said excitedly. "I read about them in the latest book release from Rashid Samaad. It talks about an incredibly remote area that the Quja people have known about for most of their history. A land that's said to be home to incredible monsters. He had firsthand reports from some of the Quja villages about the rare beasts and this was one of them," he continued enraptured as it flew in a lazy circle above them. "Just see the way it's looking at us. I think it must be someone's partner. I mean it could live in this area but malfestio are said to be nocturnal and we are close to the Guild School so..."

"Why don't we see if we can get its attention?" Amai said quickly cutting him off when he finally stopped to take a breath. She waved to the bird wyvern and it let out another cry and headed off in the same direction they were heading.

"It must belong to someone! Come on!" Marcus said. Grimm was off and running before Amai could get out another word.

"Well I guess we might as well follow them," Amai said to Raiden. He just yawned and scratched an itch on his side before following in the same direction.

When Amai caught up a few minutes later she saw Marcus already dismounted and talking excitedly as he looked up at the monster he had referred to earlier as malfestio. It was calmly preening its feathers and didn't seem bothered by Marcus and Grimm's presence.

Also in the clearing was another monster. This one looked more like a leviathan class. It had pale pink scales, along with fins on its head and back as well as soft dark purple-red fur on its chest and tail. Another new monster that she had never seen before. This one was calmly eating from a pile of fish although it looked up and snorted a greeting to Raiden before going back to its meal.

Amai looked around and saw a man and woman sitting on a fallen log a short distance away. She looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties and the man a few years younger then her. Her long black hair had a blue ribbon woven through and tied into a single braid. She wore soft gray boots and loose dark gray pants along with a long sleeved shirt in blue and vest of deep purple and yellow. A leather helmet and yellow glass goggles were neatly folded beside her. The malfestio must be hers.

The man's hair was just as long but was a stark white that he wore in a loose ponytail hanging down his back. His pants seemed to be a mix of dark leather and pale scales, possibly from the leviathan itself. His shirt was the same color as its fur with the same pale pink color highlighting designs down the front and along the cuffs. His shoes were the same mix of leather and scales but the wrists had dark fur around them.

Both their clothing and presence spoke of wealth, or at least a more refined lifestyle then most average people across the continent, but it was also practical for moving through the forest. Perhaps some of the materials seemed a bit more expensive or rare then what most would wear out in the wilderness but still practical enough not to be a hindrance.

Amai was no stranger to making clothing from a wide variety of materials. After all you couldn't exactly be picky when you lived in mountains and forests that were covered in snow for most of the year. She briefly wondered if she could save some of Raiden's fur to make clothing out of the next time she brushed him out. She shelved that thought for later experimentation and smoothly dismounted from Raiden's saddle.

"Sorry, I hope we're not interrupting. I'm Amai and this is my partner Raiden. That's Marcus and his partner Grimm over there," she said introducing herself. The woman closed the book she was reading and her deep brown eyes looked Amai up and down slowly. She fidgeted a bit under the woman's gaze until she stood up and walked over to give a stiff bow.

"Kurohana. This is Shirakawa," she said simply. Kurohana seemed far more interested in Raiden and her eyes softened when he lowered his head and allowed her to reach out and touch him.

Shirakawa meanwhile came up and gave a warmer bow, his gaze lingering noticeably on Amai as he met her eyes briefly with a warm smile. Amai couldn't help but blush slightly but she resisted the urge to look away instead meeting his gaze with a smile of her own. There was no denying that he was handsome. Very, handsome indeed.

Kurohana glanced between the two of them and rolled her eyes profoundly before giving Raiden a final pat and stepping back to return to her bird wyvern. Marcus was still too enthralled by the malfestio and the strange leviathan to notice or care about anything else.

"You can call me Shiro for short and this is my sister Kuro. Are you heading to the Guild School as well?" Shirakawa asked after giving a slightly more polite introduction. Their appearance and names showed influence from one of the far eastern countries of Fonlon or maybe farther south in the land of Aya but they spoke with an accent she recognized from her own tribe. One that flowed smoothly instead of the more choppy, sailor's speech she had come to hear in Tanzia Port.

Amai remembered clearly how the tribe's story keeper always said that their ancestors had sailed to the northern tundra from Fonlon and settled in the mountains where they lived now. Their white and gray hair being a distinct mark from the part of the country they had left as well as an identifying mark here on a new continent.

Her people, the Touku Umi, had chosen to stay even after the first awakening of Ukanlos and Akantor had ravaged parts the continent with natural disasters from earthquakes to avalanches, volcanic eruptions and more. Although the Guild was firm in the idea that the natural disasters had disturbed the two great beasts rather then both monsters having the power to trigger such events themselves as a lesson to the humans living on this land like Amai believed.

 _Maybe I'll get the chance to talk to him about it later,_ Amai thought while rubbing her blushing cheeks. She looked over at his leviathan and decided to ask him about that. Seemed like a safe enough topic. Besides she still needed to answer his question.

"We are heading to the Guild School. May I ask the names of your partners? I've never see anything like them," Amai asked curiously. Shiro's eyes lit up at her question and he swelled with pride as he gestured to the leviathan.

"Of course, this is Baburu and he's a monster known as mizutsune. My sister's companion is Obake no Oto or just Obake for short. He's a malfestio. I've heard of some very rare sightings of malfestio in the desert areas but mizutsune doesn't seem to be well known in these lands," Shiro explained and Baburu looked up at the sound of his name before sniffing around to see if he had missed any fish.

"If we're going the same way then perhaps we could all travel together?" Shiro asked her. Amai liked that idea very much indeed. Especially if it meant being able to talk to him a bit longer. Before she could come up with a more polite and less forward response, however, a loud roar shook the trees around them sending a flock of small birds spiraling into the air in panic.

"What was that?" Marcus asked his attention finally diverted.

All of the monsters had gone still and Amai could feel Raiden's tense body starting to gather electricity. He may not know what it was exactly but he knew danger when he heard it. Amai meanwhile knew exactly what that sound was.

Deviljho.

"That is the sound of trouble. We need to go. We need to go _now_ ," Amai said urgently.

Shiro was already grabbing the few things he had out to put them away while Kurohana was ahead of him and climbing into the saddle on Obake's back. Marcus hesitated for a just a moment before jumping back into Grimm's saddle. The Great Jaggi was dancing around and nervously looking towards the west.

Raiden stood there calmly, tense and ready to bolt on a moment notice but not fidgeting or anxious. Amai felt a swell of deep pride at how well his training was holding up. Her village would be so proud if they could see her now. Obake let out a cry and took off into the air with Kurohana while Baburu fell in beside Raiden.

"My sister will scout from the air to check the monster's location. How do you think we should to proceed?" Shiro asked and Amai hesitated for a bit. She was expecting him to just take charge and start making orders the way a lot of men she had met did. She certainly wasn't expecting him to ask her thoughts on the matter direction first. Her opinion of him rose higher even as she thought it over.

"Marcus and Grimm should run ahead. You stay in the middle and I'll bring up the rear. It will be coming at us from the side so if it catches up we'll be able to distract it or lead it away while Marcus and Grimm get to safety," Amai decided.

"Those were my thoughts also. We should head around the school, not directly towards it," Shiro added. Amai nodded and jumped back up into Raiden's saddle. Sparks were already shooting up from his body and his teeth were bared as he stared off into the trees.

"Don't worry pal. If this deviljho catches up to us then you'll have plenty to do," Amai said patting him on the shoulder.

"Let's go!" Amai shouted. Grimm raced off more then eager to leave and Baburu fell in at a swift pace afterwards. Amai gave the clearing one last look before urging Raiden into a run after them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos!


	10. Missing

Rain leaned back in her chair far enough to sneak a look through the window into the meeting hut only for Alistair to swat her lightly on the arm.

"Would you quit that? Stop being nosy," Alistair hissed at her.

"They've been talking for nearly two hours! I just want to see how things are going," Rain responded feigning a wounded look in return. Alistair was unmoved and frowned at her until Rain sat back down in her seat properly.

"Oh fine then. I wish they would make a decision though," Rain said with a sigh.

"I'm not exactly pleased to be sitting around doing nothing either but the village elders are trying to take their time and make the best decision for everyone. Calling a hunter out is the best method but that could easily take over a week for the message to arrive and a hunter to get here. By then the monster could either be long gone or it could already be too late because it attacked someone," Alistair reminded her.

"And no one seems to know what it is. That doesn't help either. A little more information could go a long way towards figuring out the best thing to do," Rain added as a couple voices rose in volume before a quieter voice interjected to calm things down.

"How are you holding up?" Rain asked softly, wrapping an arm around Alistair's shoulders as she spoke. Alistair curled into her and shook her head. Normally public displays of affection between them still made Rain uncomfortable but at the moment they were relatively alone. Plus her heart was still pounding a bit from that surprise encounter in the forest. This was as much for her own reassurance as Alistair's.

"Trying not to think about how I could have handled it so much better if I was still a hunter and had a weapon on me to defend both of us with," Alistair answered.

"How's that going for you so far?" Rain asked.

"Not well I'm afraid. I know this was for the best but its times like this that make me feel useless all over again," she said honestly.

"Well I'm just glad that we're both safe and that you're here with me now," Rain murmured and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Alistair smiled at that and relaxed a bit more.

"I should try and focus more on that. We made it back here safely and we know to be more careful the next time we go out. Not everyone has had that chance after coming across a monster while unarmed," Alistair admitted. "I'm still going to need my lotion when I get home though. I can already feel myself getting more and more stressed out the longer we sit here," she confessed.

"I'll give you a backrub with it when we get back and you can sleep off the stress while I go back out to play nice with Akairo and Ginouji some more," Rain offered her.

"Mmm, you say the sweetest things to me," Alistair said with a teasing smile.

"I try," Rain responded with more then a little satisfaction.

The lotion in question had cannabis oil in it. During the early stages of her treatment Alistair would smoke the leaves so it would get into her system and work faster to help her deal with stress and anxiety. Now that she was progressing and better able to cope with her symptoms her doctor had eased up on some of her medications and switched things around a bit. The first change had been a small bottle of concentrated cannabis oil that Alistair could ingest with a drop or two each day but she couldn't stand the taste. Then they tried it in edible snacks but that didn't work well enough. Now they were using a lotion mix that could be absorbed into the skin and that had been working well so far.

Rain perked up as the sounds of agreement finally drifted through the window. She jumped in surprise as the door swung open and one of the elders walked out. She couldn't stop her body from tensing up and she knew Alistair could feel it. Rain pulled her arm back as Alistair she sat up straight and then stood up from her chair. Rain followed her feeling uncomfortable and ashamed of herself for reacting like that even after months of being married to Alistair.

"Were you able to come to a decision?" Alistair asked him. The elder didn't seem phased by the two of them but still Rain found it difficult to stand there without fidgeting.

"We have. There is a scholar in the area who has spent much of his life studying wyverns. We will call and ask for his help in determining what this creature is. He has a good reputation and many of us have heard positive things about his expertise. We'll also send in a request to the Guild office in Tanzia and have them send someone out here for protection. I don't want to expose any of the village beasts to danger if we don't have to," he explained.

"Thank you for letting us know. We'll be sure not to wander out of the village alone in the meantime," Alistair said gratefully.

"That would be appreciated. We will let the rest of the village know to do the same until this matter is resolved. We'll make sure to have an extra watch around the village borders as well," he added. Someone inside called out to him and he glanced back. "Excuse me I have to go. Thank you for bringing this to our attention," he told them before nodding to each of them and returning inside.

It wasn't until he was gone that Rain was able to relax.

"You okay?" Alistair asked gently.

"Not really. I still hate that my first reaction is always to tense up and pull away like that," Rain muttered to herself.

"We've both got things we don't like about ourselves. I know I do no matter how many times you reassure me. As long as we learn to stick together instead of letting it pull us apart we'll be fine," Alistair reminded her.

"I know. Thank you," Rain said gratefully.

"Any time. Now let's get back to my babies so I can check on them before you give me that backrub you promised. If there's going to be a monster wandering around then I want to make sure Ginouji and Akairo know what to do if they run into it," Alistair pointed out.

* * *

Akairo did his best to remain still and remember the lessons mother had taught them. Some monsters hunted by sight and some by smell. Some were like Quake, the big horned monster mother had known ever since she was little, hunted by sound. He was old now and his eyes weren't that good anymore, but his hearing was better then any other monster Akairo knew about.

The ground trembled as Quake came closer, stopping just a few trees away. He sniffed the ground and shook his head before moving on. Akairo held back a delighted hum and instead lifted his head up as Quake shrieked and shuffled back off towards the road. That meant he gave up although Akairo thought that he wasn't trying very hard and just wanted to nap some more.

Jumping up to his feet, Akairo darted after him. Now Quake turned around as he heard the sound of smaller feet hurrying to catch up. He snorted in acknowledgement and yawned before heading to the other side of the road and laying down to nap in the sun.

Mother and Rain had met a strange monster the other day and were worried that it might come back. So Rain was making sure they would be able to stay safe and find their way home if they ended up lost or had to run away from the monster. Ginouji always knew where he was, but she had been teaching him to look at the stars and sun to find his way home. Akairo didn't know if he was very good at it yet but he wanted to learn. He wanted to be able to find his way home like brother did.

Today though Ginouji had wanted to sleep instead so Akairo came by with Rain himself. They hadn't gone very far and Akairo could still hear voices talking from the big open fields whenever the wind stopped blowing.

Looking up at the sky, Akairo saw that the sun was starting to go down towards the ocean way off in the distance. They had walked out here with the mountains on the left and the water on the right so to get back...

Akairo shifted his weight back and forth as he thought. The sun would need to be on his left? And a little bit behind him. If he kept walking forward like that then he would get back to where Rain was sitting, right?

He jumped in surprise as Quake suddenly shot back up to his feet, whirling around and calling to him sharply. Akairo hurried over to him. Mother had taught him and brother how important it was to come back right away or to obey her commands if there was danger around. Quake lowered his head and sniffed him over before lifting his head again and looking around.

Was it the winged monster mother and Rain had seen?

Quake shrieked and slammed his tail on the ground in warning as a strange growl drifted through the trees. Akairo peeked out from around his legs and saw a dark shape with bright edges crouched in the trees. He could also see the moment it jumped up.

"Hit!" Akairo called out in warning but Quake was already moving. His eyes may not be as good but he could hear every moment the monster made. Quake spun around on one foot and his tail slammed into the winged monster knocking it away and making it crash into a tree.

Quake turned and hissed at him urgently, nudging him away. Akairo hesitated but obeyed, running off in the direction he thought Rain was. He looked back and saw Quake charging with his head down and slamming into the monster, lifting it up and throwing it aside. Now it didn't seem as ready to fight and fought to get away as Quake roared and hit it again in the head with his tail. Akairo stumbled on a rock and turned back to pay attention to where he was going.

"Akairo right here!"

He heard Rain's voice and swung his head around looking for her. He saw her running up to the road and sighed in relief and raced over to her. She threw her arms around him tightly. He was happy to know that he had found his way back even though she wasn't that far away.

"Oh thank you, thank you! I saw heard Quake fighting and thought you might have gotten hurt. Are you okay?" Rain asked as she stroked him all over.

"Kay. Im siff. No urt," Akairo told her as he wiggled around as proof that he was safe and unharmed. Rain still hugged him tightly and kissed him on the head. He felt bad for the way he had treated her before. Rain cared about him too and it wasn't nice to get upset like that because mom couldn't spend as much time with him and Ginouji as before. Mother was much better now and much happier thanks to Rain's help.

"Let's go. We need to get back somewhere safe while Quake chases that monster off," Rain told him. Another angry roar came from Quake and Akairo looked back to see dust flying everywhere.

"Fin mmma? Noji? Mmmmake siff?" Akairo asked her. No that wasn't the right word. "Chik siff?" he tried again.

"Yeah, we'll find your mom and Ginouji and check that they're both safe as well," Rain said. She stood up and they both hurried back to safety.

* * *

Amai held on tightly to the saddle as Raiden raced through the forest. His electricity was building to the point where she was starting to seriously worry. Sure she had been on his back when he let loose with some electric attacks before but never when he was fully charged. Not even close to it. Her clothing was made to repel electricity to a certain extent but she had never exactly been willing to test just how far that protection went.

_Looks like I might be finding out today,_ Amai thought as Raiden jumped over a boulder. He was a lot faster and far more agile then his growing size and stocky frame would suggest. Thankfully he loved to run so building up his stamina had been the easiest part of his training.

"It's coming around from the left!"

Amai raised her arm up to show that she had heard the warning. She wasn't sure who said it but she gave Raiden a warning signal to watch his left just as the deviljho smashed through a tree roaring and throwing spit everywhere. Raiden dodged and turned around letting out a burst of electricity that made the devlijho stop and stumbled back a few steps. Baburu slithered out from his hiding spot and Amai watched in fascination as he reared back and shot a beam of water towards the deviljho making it roar and stumbled to the ground, slipping and crashing on its side due to the now muddy ground.

Obake, Kuro's malfestio, swooped in from above and hovered there in the air.

"Cover your ears!" Kuro shouted to them from Obake's back. Amai hurried to plug her ears while Baburu, with Shiro on his back, quickly ran out of the way.

Obake's chest swelled and he let out wave of sound that rang through the forest. Amai could immediately feel the effects as her body loosened and her eyes started to drop. Raiden swayed and shook his head to try and fight off the sudden urge to sleep.

The deviljho had rolled over and was trying to get up when it got hit by the sound beam. Now it grunted and shook its head trying to ignore the effects of the sound. Deviljho were notoriously stubborn but also easy to distract making for a strange contradiction in behavior. They had been known to chase prey that looked weak for days once they spotted a potential meal but they would also abandon a chase rather quickly if it thought a monster was tougher then itself. Bigger deviljho were known for cannibalism after all so sometimes it paid to back off. If they could prove that they weren't worth the trouble of chasing down for a meal then it would try and find something else to chew on instead.

Obake had given them an opening and they couldn't waste it. Amai slapped her face to wake herself up and kicked Raiden in the side to get his attention. He snorted and blinked rapidly with a start before growling and shaking himself all over.

"There you go! Now hit him with everything you've got!" Amai ordered. Raiden lifted his head up in a howl and charged forward. She could feel the buzz of electricity around him increasing and saw it crackling around her as he ran up and body slammed the deviljho at full speed. It was too drowsy and disorientated from Obake's attack to resist and went crashing back down to the forest floor again.

Raiden's jaws gripped a chunk of the deviljho's neck before letting out an explosion of electricity. It was so powerful the light blinded Amai and she had to throw and arm across her eyes to block out the blinding glare. Thunder roared in her ears as the smell of burning flesh made Amai gag violently.

Amai felt Raiden backing up but couldn't see past the white spots in her vision. She felt it when Raiden's body perked up the way he always did when someone was calling him or when something got his attention. Amai gave him the signal to go and he hesitated briefly before turning and picking his pace up into a run. She could only assume that he was following Shiro and Baburu because she sure couldn't make anything out and her ears were ringing painfully. It was impossible to tell how far they traveled before Raiden came to a stop. He crouched down the way he always did to let her off and Amai fumbled in the saddle a bit before slipping down his side to the ground.

At least her vision was starting to come back although it was only around the edges of her vision and it was still incredibly blurry. Her ears were still ringing and Amai touched the sides of her head but didn't feel any blood so her eardrums were still intact at least. She felt hands on her shoulders and let herself be guided a few steps until they pushed her to sit down. Once she was seated she heard a muffled voice next to her.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Amai shouted only to realize almost immediately that she was probably the only one affected like this. She made a mental note to craft some ear plugs and shaded goggles and add them to her equipment as soon as possible.

"Are... okay?"

The voice was extremely faint and Amai knew she had to be missing a few words. Rather then shout back she just gave a thumbs up. She felt a strong pat on the back before someone spoke to her again. It had to be Shiro judging from what she could hear of the voice. Just perfect. A hot guy finally pays attention to her and she can't even enjoy it.

"You... will... fine in... hours... days," he assured her. She'd be fine in a few hours to a few days. At least that's what she hoped he said. Better then nothing at least. Amai nodded and closed her eyes. She should probably cover them for a while and rest. There was a gentle nudge and she smiled as she felt Raiden's bump her shoulder. She reached over until she felt him and rubbed him affectionately and cooed assurances in a voice that she hoped was a more normal volume. She didn't want him to worry.

She touched Shiro's arm when she felt him starting to pull away.

"What happened to the deviljho?" Amai asked starting out in a yell before remembering she didn't need to shout.

"Stunned... ran... didn't... safe now," he tried to tell her. So they had stunned but not killed it and then it ran? No, he was probably trying to say that they had run away while it was stunned. That made more sense. At least they seemed to be safe now.

She just hoped that Marcus and Grimm had gotten away and made it safely back to the Guild School. Deviljho could be dissuaded from attacking but if there was one thing she knew about deviljho it was that they were also capable of holding a grudge for a very, very long time.

* * *

Akairo closed his eyes in relief and relaxed as Ginouji stood over him protectively. The scare of meeting that monster had made him really sleepy. Akairo wasn't able to stop worrying until they got back and he saw mother and Ginouji standing there looking around. As soon as mother saw him she ran up letting him know how happy she was to see him.

He opened his eyes and looked over to see mother and Rain holding each other tightly as well. A lot of others were standing around talking. They must have heard the noise and come out to see what it was. Some were gathering weapons and getting ready to go out. They didn't look like hunters. Not like mother was and they didn't walk the same way she still did either. Akairo didn't think they would be able to scare the monster off at all.

"Cake siff?" Ginouji asked him quietly. He wanted to know if Quake had made it out safely as well but neither of them could say his name properly yet. Akairo glanced around to make sure no one was listening before he replied.

"Fit big one. Hit ard. Eem urt. Cake onger," Akairo explained to him. Quake had fought the strange monster and hit him hard, hard enough to hurt it. Quake tossed it around like Raiden tossed his rope toys around when he played with them. That meant he was stronger right? So why wasn't he back yet? Was he chasing it off?

"Smell bad," Akairo said emphasizing the words. He was quietly pleased that he managed to say it properly. He wanted to talk the way mother and Rain did so he practiced a lot with Ginouji and Jasper. Ginouji hummed and bobbed his head.

"Bad sssmell. Mmma an Rrrain smell ame," Ginouji agreed.

"Not as ong," Akairo corrected him. Mother and Rain had smelled the same way when they came back but just faintly. Now it was much stronger. Strong enough that Akairo could smell it on himself now. He didn't like it and he didn't trust it.

"Ake baff? Et it off?" Ginouji asked with a pointed snort. A bath might help get rid of the smell and the strange itching sensation on his body.

Mother and Rain were standing together watching the others go out with their weapons. Akairo nudged mother's leg and she bent down to talk to him.

"Big one smell bad. Aake baff? Et it off?" Akairo asked hopefully adding in a concerned cry for emphasis.

"They must be talking about that strange... dust the monster was letting off from under its wings. They aren't exactly small anymore but I still don't like the idea of that stuff clinging to their scales or getting in their lungs and irritating them. Especially if the smell bothers them enough to ask about it like this," Rain said sounding worried. Mother bobbed her head in agreement and rubbed her hands over him in concern.

"I think giving them a bath is a good idea too. We aren't going to be learning anything else soon anyway until the village scouts patrol the area and bring Quake back," mother said. She looked back around before turning to him and standing up.

"Okay you two lets give you a bath and get that bad smell off you," she said and Akairo growled happily. He and Ginouji never turned down a good bath. It made his scales feel all nice and clean.

Akairo stopped to look back in the direction he had come from. He hoped Quake was okay. He didn't know what this bad smell was but he didn't like it at all.


	11. Found

Night had fallen hours ago and finally the scouting party had come back. They reported seeing where Quake had fought the monster and where he had chased it off, but then the tracks led into the swamp and they had lost the trail in all the muck.

Slowly people had trickled off to their homes or to bed. Alistair's parents had turned in for the night but Ginouji and Akairo wanted to stay up longer to see if Quake came back. So here she was sitting on the front porch with fragrant candles burning for some light. Ginouji was content to let Rain and Akairo bond, especially if it meant having Alistair to himself for a bit. So he was curled up next to her occasionally lifting his head to look over her arm at what she was drawing.

Since they were going to be up anyway Rain was getting in some more time teaching Akairo. His understanding of the sun's position in the sky was so good that he had breezed through the basics of what Rain wanted to start teaching him. In just a few hours he could use the position of the sun to figure out what direction he had gone in, where the village was, and where he wanted to go. In fact he had done it so well that Rain confessed to Alistair about wondering whether it was something that rathalos naturally learned how to to as they grew up. That's part of why she had gone out with him today. Not only to make sure Akairo knew what to do if a dangerous monster came around but to check that he really understood what she was trying to teach him.

It seemed clear now that Akairo's main problem with finding his way around was not his lack of ability, which now seemed like natural development as he grew, but rather his lack of self confidence. For all of his short life Akairo had generally let his brother take the lead in everything or they figured it out together. Ginouji was more intelligent and quicker to pick things up and he always turned back to help Akairo as well. Doing something on his own without anyone else helping or prompting him wasn't something he was used to. But Alistair was hoping that with Rain's gentle guidance Akairo would gain more confidence in himself and develop the natural abilities he would already be learning on his own or from natural parents.

For tonight though Rain said she just wanted to focus on bonding with him. She didn't want to pile too much on him too quickly even if he was doing well. Besides it had been a stressful day.

"Okay what about that one there? The brightest one in the whole sky?" Rain said pointing her finger up at the stars. Akairo tilted his head back and forth making chirping sounds of curiosity in his throat as he looked up.

"See ello!" Akairo answered.

"Yellow? Looks white to me," Rain replied.

"Not wit! Ello! See bad ike Cake," Akairo said with a flap of his wings to which Rain laughed.

"My eyes are not bad like Quake's! Okay smarty pants how about the one over there? Seven stars over and three up. Looks blue to me," Rain said. Akairo took a moment to find her and hummed to himself. "Well? Am I right?" she prodded.

"Not boo. Bight boo! Lik sky!" Akairo corrected her with a sidelong look. Alistair smothered a laugh as Rain glanced back over her shoulder and winked at her. Now Akairo was just being deliberately cheeky and they both knew it. Rathalos had a far better sense of color then humans did but Ginouji and Akairo never bothered to distinguish between bright, dark or pale unless they had to.

"Oh bright sky blue! Well I certainly won't make that mistake again," Rain apologized.

"Good. See range too," Akairo said like a kid imparting some big secret.

"Orange? There's no orange star up there," Rain disputed with a smile.

"Is too!" Akairo shot back indignantly.

Alistair smiled and shook her head. It was so good to see them bonding like this even if it was teasing comments thrown back and forth. It also gave her an opportunity to make another drawing this one of Rain pointing up at the sky and Akairo looking up as well. It would be a great one to save along with others she had done.

"You all okay out here?"

Alistair twisted her head back and saw her mother, Mira, standing there behind her chair. Ginouji greeted her with a quiet hum.

"What? Oh, yes we're fine. Ginouji and Akairo wanted to stay out for awhile longer to see if Quake comes back and I didn't want to tell them no. Besides Rain and I weren't feeling that sleepy anyway," Alistair explained. "Do you want to sit down? How's dad doing?" she asked more quietly.

"Oh no I've been sitting around all day. As for your dad he's not good. Quake was passed down from his aunt when he was a boy. He's always hoped that Quake would outlive him you know," she replied with a sigh.

"Really? I never..." Alistair stopped not really wanting to think about either one of them dying, "I didn't know that," she settled on.

"I didn't either until recently. You know how quiet he is. We're only in our sixties but his joints have been getting inflamed more often and its harder for him to work. As for me well... I've been doing this all my life. While I've loved it with all my heart I don't enjoy the thought of having white hair and still wielding a hoe in the dirt if you know what I mean. It's not pleasant to think about but our age is starting to become less of a distant future and more of a present reality. We've also lost village companions before and every time it happens it makes your dad depressed knowing that Quake's time could come one day soon as well just like theirs did," Mira said heavily.

"Quake is already over 100 years old by the healers estimates. That's longer then he would have lived in the wild by a few decades. He should have a few more in him as well but sometimes... sometimes bad things just happen. Today proved that. I just hope he chased that monster off and then got lost in the swamp. Wouldn't be the first time," Mira added hopefully. Alistair didn't really have anything to add to that so she just nodded in agreement.

"You working on a new picture?" Mira asked after a moment of silence.

"Yeah, I want to let Rain and Akairo bond on their own without me interfering so I figured I would sit back here for moral support and maybe do some artwork. I've really been enjoying it and I'm getting better," Alistair said. "I've been doing it on and off for years. I'd draw up maps when I was out on a quest. I'd draw in the journals and diaries I kept. I would draw monsters I had hunted or places I had seen but I stopped late in my pregnancy and haven't picked it up again until recently. It feels good to be doing it again. Doing it seriously and really trying to improve I mean. Not just whenever the urge strikes me," she corrected herself.

"I've come a long way these past months but I still worry sometimes about not being a hunter anymore or feeling like... like I'm not contributing enough. Even though Rain goes out of her way to reassure me all the time. So I've been thinking a lot more lately about improving my art and writing a book. Taking all the things I've learned through hunting and raising these two and writing about it along with some art I've drawn. Something everyone can enjoy. Not just researchers who would love to pour through the journals I keep about how I've raised Ginouji and Akairo," Alistair trailed off and looked down at the drawing she was currently working on.

"But then I start doubting myself every time. I'm not good enough, my art is terrible, no one would read it, and so on. I really want to do it though. Maybe not anytime soon but... one day," Alistair finished as her fingers played with her charcoal pencil.

"Well I know that you can do anything you set your mind on. I'm proud of you. Rain has..." Mira stopped and cleared her throat, "She's been so good for you and she helped bring my daughter back to me again." She reached down and gave Alistair a kiss on the head. "I love you so much. Wherever you decide to go," she added knowingly.

"You know about that?" Alistair said in surprise.

"Rain and I had a nice chat the other day where she summoned the courage to tell me that she's been thinking more and more about moving away to someplace different. Someplace she feels is safer for the two of you. I can't say that I blame her. She's been through a lot and Tanzia must hold a lot of bad memories for her," Mira explained. Alistair mulled that over before answering.

"She's been thinking hard about it for months. I know how much she worries about me and about how moving would affect my ability to continue being treated but..." Alistair stopped and looked out at Rain and Akairo who were still having fun. "But even as I recover I can see her going downhill. She's just not happy there anymore and has only stayed because of Storm and out of the hope that she could reconcile with her mom. Now her brother is dead and her mom moved away and hasn't bothered to let her know where to," she noted sourly. Mira clucked her tongue in disapproval and shook her head.

"Poor dear. Any place in particular that you've had in mind?" Mira asked.

"Yukumo Village, located among the Misty Peaks. It's been growing like crazy for the past few years first as a tourist destination because of the host springs and then as a trade center because of all the tourists. I've been through there a few times and there's no place I would love more. It's still a good environment for lagiacrus and rathalos and Rain has already checked out a few possible spots to set up a new shop as well as available places to live or build a new home," Alistair explained. "You and dad have been there a few times for your anniversary haven't you?" she added a second later.

"We sure have. Beautiful place. We've talked about retiring there ourselves in a few years. The village healer said the hot springs and salt baths there would do wonders for your dad's joints, " Mira said.

"Really? Years as in...?" Alistair let her question hang.

"Years as in whenever Quake is officially retired from farming work. That's what your dad says but I think it's going to be sooner rather then later. Quake has been an essential part of the village but everyone acknowledges that it's time to start pulling back on how much work he does. We want him to live out the rest of his life in peace. Not work him until he's forced to stop because of decaying health or injury. There have been discussions about replacing him after this season's harvest in a few weeks. That way we can use him to train another young diablos to take over," Mira stopped and took a shuddering breath before finishing with, "I sure hope he's okay out there."

"Maybe we'll see him back in the morning like nothing happened," Alistair said and her mother gave a tired smile but didn't respond.

* * *

Turns out that Alistair was partially right but it took three days of worrying and searching before Quake suddenly showed up again.

Alistair was the first up and dressed and she was sitting around while Ginouji and Akairo finished eating their breakfast when she saw that a caravan had arrived. Seemed like a pretty big one as well. She faintly remembered one of the village elders talking about calling in a researcher who was staying nearby. The caravan looked like it had come up the south road which would be right if it had come from the village over there in the wetlands.

Alistair hesitated, unsure whether to greet the caravan properly herself or to go let her parents know instead.

"Rishi heeere?"

Surprised Alistair looked back to see Akairo and Ginouji coming up behind her, their heads lifted up above hers to look towards the caravan.

"Rishi here? See Cake? Fin big bad?" Akairo asked curiously. It was only when she spotted the man's brown skin and dark red and orange robes from the large tribe in the north-east desert canyons that she realized what they were saying. "Rishi" was the most they could make out of the name Rashid. He was the wyvern researcher she had met months ago back in Tanzia after her sister called him in to consult on the rathalos' health. Alistair certainly remembered him and the help he had provided fondly but she was surprised that they did as well.

"Go see?" Ginouji asked her.

"Sure we can go see him," Alistair said with a look back to see Rain who was now coming down the steps.

"Morning. What'd I miss?"

"Rashid is here."

"Rashid? Oh! The wyvern researcher your sister consulted with months ago? He must be who the village elders were talking about when they said they were going to get help in learning more about this monster," Rain realized.

"Let's go over and say hello. Then we can go see if there's any news about Quake yet," Alistair said pausing to smile as Ginouji nuzzled his head against her back in greeting and Akairo demanded his morning kiss on the nose. They may be able to look over her head now but they were still her little boys.

"Hopefully he can tell us what kind of monster this is wandering around," Rain stated and Alistair glanced her way with a nod of agreement before doing a double take. One of the village boys was running up the road from the north waving at them. Now Ginouji and Akairo started to hum and worry.

"Or we might not have to ask about Quake," Alistair said with a light sigh as the boy ran up to her and stopped, breathing heavily.

"They found Quake! But something's happened to him. He's acting funny and his hide looks different. His eyes are red too like something irritated them. The other scouts want to help but they're worried about getting too close. Quake knows you and might settle down if he sees you around instead of them. That's what they said and then they told me to run and find you and your dad," he continued breathlessly.

Alistair and Rain exchanged a look.

"I'll go get your dad up and tell him the news," Rain offered.

"Where are they now?" Alistair asked the boy.

"By the bog mash fields. River side near the lake. Not by the swamps," he explained to them.

"Dad will know where that is. I'll go ahead to see what I can do," Alistair told Rain. Ginouji hesitated before stepping over to Rain, showing that he would stay with her. Alistair smiled and hugged him.

"I love you. You both stay safe okay?" she said it to both of them and Rain nodded while Ginouji hummed and nuzzled her. Since the monster started wandering around neither Ginouji or Akairo had been willing to leave their sides even if they had to split up to do so.

Now Alistair turned back to the boy waiting for more directions.

"It looks like the wyvern expert the village elders called in has arrived. Why don't you go tell him what you just told me? Rain and my dad will go with you after you're done while I go ahead to see how Quake is. Okay?" Alistair offered and he nodded quickly and hurried up into the house.

"What do you think is going on? Could that cloud the monster was letting off from under its wings have affected him somehow?" Rain asked quietly.

"I don't know but I'm sure we're about to find out."

* * *

Alistair could hear Quake well before she saw him. His footsteps alone carried through the trees not to mention the sound of his irritated snorting. A few of the village scouts and two of the elders were there keeping a fair distance back. Quake was by the lake side splashing his head back and forth in the water but he turned sharply with a hiss at hearing more footsteps.

"Quake! It's me! You know who I am don't you?" Alistair shouted to him. Akairo called out a greeting as well. For a moment Quake hesitated before a grumble rippled along his throat. That noise she recognized. It meant he was upset and something hurt.

"Stay here. I'll go to him and see if I can help," Alistair said both to Akairo and to the villagers standing around watching. Thankfully Quake didn't react as she walked up except to snort water and turn towards her with a whine as she finally, carefully eased into touching distance.

His eyes were different. Not just bloodshot with irritation in the whites of his eyes but a mix of red and the usual purple in his iris. He was covered from horn to tail in mud, leaves, moss, and other debris. Clearly he had been tramping through the swamp. What she could see of his hide though was strange. There was a weird reddish-purple sheen to it that hadn't been there before. There was an audible wheezing to his breathing as well.

"I'll bet this is a bad reaction to whatever that monster is letting off isn't it?" Alistair said sympathetically as Quake dipped his head into the water and shook his head back and forth splashing her. Now she could see that he was doing it to try and soothe the irritation in his eyes.

Alistair turned and addressed the small crowd watching her.

"Does anyone have something I could use as a rag? A long strip of cloth or a shirt they don't need? I'm going to need some cleansing creams to put in his eyes and something to cover them up with," she explained. One of the elders immediately untied the headscarf he was wearing and walked over to hand it to her.

"Use this. I have some cleansing cream on me now. Got some poison ivy on my skin the other day. But my wife and I can always make some more up later. Please use it for him instead," he offered pulling a small jar out from a pocket by his belt.

"Thank you, Elder. This definitely looks like it could be from that monster, but that's all I can saw with any certainty," Alistair told him. She hurried to unscrew the small jar and Quake snorted with impatience but held still as she spread it around and along the rim of his eyelids. She dipped the headscarf in water and pressed it across the diablos eyes. With that Quake finally sighed and settled down.

"Hmm, we'll keep Quake quarantined for a few days and limit direct and indirect contact with people and the other village beasts until we know more about what's affecting him. That will include you and myself as well. Thorough cleansing in clean, fresh water after contact with him before going home as well. Better to be careful then to risk anything spreading," he stated.

"I understand," Alistair respectfully agreed. Simple hygiene and quarantine regulations were often the biggest step towards staying healthy for small villages that had to rely on themselves or on other nearby, and equally small communities, for most of their help.

Akairo let out a sad whine and dropped his head.

"Sorry but that means you have to stay back. Akairo. I don't want you to get sick and feel bad either," Alistair said to him. He still whined about it but grudgingly took a few steps back.

"Sorry for taking so long!"

Alistair turned to see Rain, her father Liam, and Rashid coming down the trail to the lake being led by the boy who had come to them earlier. Now that Rashid was here maybe he could shine some light on what that monster was and what it had done to Quake.


	12. Frenzy Virus

The Guild School had a few healers on site and the one Amai visited assured her that her eyes and ears would be fine but agreed that she would need to wear protective gear from now out or it could result in permanent damage. Crafting some high quality earplugs had been simple. Amai made a pair to go in her ears and a pair to go over them. Both fit snugly and worked beautifully. Getting appropriate goggles however was a different story.

After almost a week the healer had cleared her on the condition that she took it easy and avoided bright light. With that out of the way Amai had rushed off to see about getting some goggles made. Amai could make frames but she couldn't make the lenses she needed on her own. Thankfully she had been fortunate enough to quickly find someone who could.

"Are you sure you got this? I mean you were the first person I asked so..." Amai started only to stop when Kurohana gave an audible hiss and turned around to glare at her.

"Did I or did I not tell you that I could make them? Ask me one more time and the answer will be no," Kuro said in warning. Only when she was sufficiently convinced that Amai would behave did she turn back around.

Kurohana picked up two bags and weighed them in her hands. She put one down and opened the other examining the moss and plant matter inside. She hummed in approval and gave Amai an appraising look.

"I'm surprised you actually managed to find some. I thought it would take you longer," Kuro said almost sounding impressed before a frown crossed her face. "Shiro helped you didn't he?" she asked more suspiciously only to grimace and wave her hand when Amai opened her mouth to reply. "No forget it. That look on your face says it all. I've seen it enough times to recognize it by now," she said quickly cutting her off.

"The point is that you have what I need," Kuro confirmed before adding, "Our parents felt that my brother and I should know a trade to better appreciate hard work, patience, the wisdom of our elders, and the value of learning from those better then us whatever their age," she paused and gave Amai a sidelong glance. "That last one my dad in particular emphasized after Shiro threw a tantrum because his teacher gave the highest marks to a kid younger then he was. Shiro didn't complain anymore after dad said that," she added.

"How old was he at the time?" Amai asked curiously.

"Ten going on twenty," Kuro replied with a roll of her eyes. Amai choked back a laugh as Shiro himself came walking into the room and looked between the two of them with his eyebrows raised.

"Uh oh, you're laughing. My sister must have been regaling you with tales of what a bad child I was," Shiro said with a grin as Amai coughed to try and cover up her laugh.

"Only one this time. I'll be sure to tell her more when you're not around," Kuro assured him. "Since you're here you can help us out. I'm making shaded goggles and Amai could use an extra hand preparing the materials," she added.

Amai couldn't help but notice that Kurohana didn't include herself in that statement of labor.

"Of course I'd be happy to provide assistance however I can," Shiro said with a warm smile at Amai who smiled back a bit shyly. Kuro sighed audibly and swatted her brother on the back of the head.

"Ow! Hey!"

"Quit trying to charm the lady and get to work. If something goes wrong and she ends up with eye damage because the ingredients weren't mixed properly I'm blaming you," Kuro said sharply and Shiro blushed in embarrassment and set to work grabbing bowls jars of liquid that Kurohana had already set up for when Amai returned. Amai nearly choked trying to swallow back her laughter when Kurohana turned to glare at her as well.

"Dump each of those bags into separate bowls. Then add a half measure this catalyst into each and mix them together with one of the wooden spoons until there are no more bubbles," Kuro instructed them. They set about getting to work as Kurohana checked the furnace the instructors had let her borrow after she had proved she knew how to use it.

"So you mentioned your parents wanting you two to learn a trade as kids?" Amai asked hesitantly. She had quickly learned that while Shiro loved to talk and wouldn't hesitate to speak about himself Kurohana was exactly the opposite. She didn't talk much to begin with and spoke even less about herself. If her trade was something she enjoyed then maybe Amai could get her to open up about that.

Kurohana hesitated visibly before speaking.

"Glass first and then metal working. Decorative ornaments and practical accessories mostly. Started as a little girl and kept it up through my early twenties. It was chosen for me and I've worked very hard at it," Kuro said the last part very stiffly and Amai could tell that she had hit on a sore spot. She wasn't sure if Kurohana would appreciate an apology or if she would just want to move on.

She caught Shirakawa's eye and he shook his head quickly.

"Ahh, my parents wanted me to continue their trade and raise halk for the tribe hunters. I always wanted to be a monster hunter though," Amai said instead and Shiro nodded slightly in relief. Kurohana turned around from stoking the furnace briefly to look at her.

"How did that work out for you?" Kuro asked her.

"Not... all that well to be honest," Amai admitted. "It is true they could have listened more but I could have been less impulsive as well. They forgive me for it but they still don't like me being so far from home so I make sure to write letters back to them all the time," she explained.

Kurohana hummed and turned back to the furnace instead of replying. Amai stared at her back for a moment before looking at Shirakawa for help. He gave her an encouraging gesture so Amai continued.

"I can't blame them for not wanting me to be a monster hunter. My mother finally admitted that it wasn't the profession itself that they hated as much as it was the possibility of me never coming back. Of being..." Amai spun her hand around in the air as she thought of the right word, "Drawn in by all that existed outside our village. They worried that I would end up getting lost in a world that doesn't understand or respect our beliefs, culture or history. They were worried I would start letting go of my tribal identity," Amai confessed.

"That... must have been very difficult," Shiro quietly sympathized.

"It was but I'm so glad I decided to go back and visit them in person so we could try and clear things up. I wish they had told me that earlier and I wish I had been patient enough to listen to them and to the village elders more instead of being a stubborn, rebellious teenager. Not everyone has a good relationship with their parents so I'm trying to appreciate mine now while I still can," Amai added humbly. "Definitely not always easy but I can understand their worries now," she added with a smile. She shook her head and went back to work stirring the bowl before the mixture settled too much. Now Shiro spoke up as well.

"I always wanted to be a fisherman personally. My uncle owned a fishing business and I would go with him down to the river sometimes. My first time actually getting on a boat and I was so excited only to find out that I get terribly seasick," Shiro said wryly. "So with those dreams dashed to pieces I took up clothing as my mother had done. Designing and creating from the best and worst of materials. Fitting different body shapes, different cultures, different occasions and," he paused and gestured to his current outfit, the same one she had first seen him in, "Different occupations as well. Very practical trade for a monster hunter to have at least a little experience in," he added.

"I know a little bit of many things. Enough to take care of myself and make a lot of what I need but not nearly enough to be considered any type of expert," Amai said. "Which is why I appreciate the help. I really should have thought of doing this sooner," she added. Kurohana just brushed off the compliment.

"It's been a while since I've had to use my trade skills anyway. This is merely the first step. Today will take the longest," Kuro said as she walked back to them.

"This will do nicely. I'll get these set in the furnace and begin shaping them into lenses. Once both lenses are complete they'll need to soak in a slightly conductive solution for several days. That will activate the plant chemicals you mixed into the glass so they'll become darker and lighter as needed. Until then you two can go if you like," Kuro said dismissively as she took the bowls or black and gray sludge from them.

While Amai liked the idea of spending more time with Shirakawa her gut told her to stay. She had been stuck inside the past few days so she had mostly been getting to know the complex and watching everyone else. At first Kurohana was always on the fringes anytime there was a group and she always looked distinctly uncomfortable. The past couple days however she had taken to avoiding others entirely and sitting off by herself at meals or orientation lessons in the morning. The other students who had been arriving were already forming groups and cliques but Amai couldn't help but notice that most hadn't gone to any great pains to include Kurohana in anything. Amai wasn't sure if Kurohana was interested in having a friend around but that didn't excuse her from trying.

"Well then do you have any plans? I heard some saying they were going to the lake to try and catch some fish to help with the evening meal," Shiro offered her. Amai chewed on her bottom lip and looked back at Kurohana who was bent over a table working.

"I'd love to go with you," Amai said honestly, "But is it okay if I stay and watch you work for a bit Kurohana? Unless my presence would be too distracting that is," she said hurriedly while also avoiding using her nickname. Shiro was fine with it but Amai couldn't help but notice the way Kurohana tensed up whenever someone did it to her.

Shirakawa raised an eyebrow and looked over at his sister curiously. Kurohana paused and glanced over her shoulder.

"You... want to stay?" she asked in surprise.

"I do but only if I won't be bothering you," Amai confirmed. Kurohana's brow knitted together in confusion and she looked over at Shiro for help.

"I'm sure Amai would love a chance to see how you work. She might even let you get a word or two in if your patient," Shiro stated. That seemed to settled Kurohana a bit.

"I... yes. I don't mind," Kuro said her voice tinged with nervousness.

"I'll see you later then. I'll check on Obake while I'm out," Shiro assured her. He bowed to them before heading out.

Amai took a seat off in the corner so she would be out of the way. Kurohana suddenly seemed unsettled being alone with her. Amai had noticed before that she wasn't comfortable around other people and now she was starting to suspect that such behavior implied more then just general social awkwardness.

"So... um... where are you from exactly? Your white hair is just like ours," Kurohana said now sounding a lot more awkward and far less self assured then she had earlier. She was also looking at Amai like she expected her to bite or attack. Maybe because she had been expecting Amai to leave as soon as they were done talking, not stick around.

"I'm from the far north. Deep in the mountains. Our village is part of a network of different tribes. Our ways may differ from each other but we're all willing to come to another's aide when they need help. It is so beautiful up there. I've enjoyed seeing other places and climates but there's nothing like waking up and watching the sun come up over the peaks," Amai sighed wistfully at the memory.

"Oh! Sorry am I already talking too much?" Amai apologized. Now a tiny smile pulled at Kurohana's face before it disappeared.

"No. I don't mind. Please continue," she urged quickly.

If Amai kept talking it would also keep Kurohana from having to carry the conversation or speak about anything personal but Amai made sure to keep that observation to herself. Instead she took a breath and continued talking about her homeland.

* * *

Alistair stroked Quake's head soothingly as Rashid examined him and flipped through a book he had taken out of his satchel. He hadn't said anything yet and she wasn't going to break his concentration. Ginoujj and Akairo were sulking nearby looking unhappy at not being able to come closer to their mother and to Quake. Rain was standing there looking both displeased and incredibly worried. Rain always took such great care of her and worried over her so much. Alistair wanted to go to her and reassure her in return but she was technically contaminated now so they all had to stay back.

_I'm sorry_ , Alistair mouthed to her and Rain's worried expression softened.

_Be careful_ , Rain said back to her.

Quake groaned again and Alistair felt the compress around his eyes. It was starting to dry out so she grabbed a bucket someone had placed near them and used it to wet the cloth again. Quake sighed and nearly knocked her over as he tried to nuzzle closer to her. He may be big and dangerous but he was also upset, in pain, and clearly wanting reassurance.

"Its okay big guy, we'll figure out what's going on," Alistair cooed to him.

"Is one of these the monsters you saw?" Rashid asked suddenly. He was still staring down at his book so Alistair patted Quake once more and walked around to his other side. He showed her the spread and Alistair saw the black monster from before and another that looked similar.

"Closer to the first one but the fur on the wings was coming off like it was molting. There were gold scales underneath it," Alistair confirmed to him.

"For my latest book I've been traveling across the continent collecting stories, eye witness accounts, and information from different sources. Local legends, rumors, rare monster sightings and more. You know there are so many diverse groups who are native to this land or who have come from elsewhere and settled down alongside the communities they found. Such as a tribe of rathalos and rathian riders who came to the western coastline after the volcano chain they had formerly lived on erupted," Rashid told her. "But how much of that knowledge has spread outside of their community? How much of it ever will? You have communities like this one here who revere monsters as lifelong friends and companions and another just on the other side of the mountains there who see them as a plague that come to punish the wicked. There is so much valuable knowledge out there but so much of it is spread out and unconnected. That's just talking about humans. There are the wyverians, trovians, lynians and shakalakas as well all with their own different cultures and races, " he continued getting more excited.

"If we could find better ways to connect, share and store this knowledge then just think of how much we could advance society and our understanding of monsters along with it! How many monsters have been 'newly discovered' that small villages and nomadic tribes have known of for centuries?" Rashid continued. Alistair cleared her throat loudly and gave a pointed look back at Quake.

"I don't want it to seem like I'm not interested, Rashid, because honestly I would love to speak for hours on this very topic but we do kind of have a pressing issue at hand," she pointed out to him.

"What? Oh! Yes, of course, forgive me. What you saw was a monster newly registered with the Guild as gore magala. Part of my research for the book I'm working on has involved gathering eyewitness reports and historical accounts of this monster. This sighting helps provide confirmation that it is in fact a juvenile form rather then an adult. It's a rather solitary monster, more so then others, but the scales it lets off can be exceedingly dangerous. It infects others like a virus which is relatively mild in humans and other races but it is generally fatal in monsters causing them to attack and drive off others before it dies, generally within a day," Rashid explained now getting back on track.

"Rather effective for a monster that likes to be left alone," Alistair noted.

"Indeed, especially during the more vulnerable time when it begins molting and its body begins changing and preparing for adulthood. Thankfully diablos are among the few monsters we've seen so far who are able to survive the frenzy virus as we've started calling it. However, that could present problems of its own as a monster that survives can have all the benefits of the virus without suffering the effects," he warned.

"Like infecting others," Alistair guessed. "It's been roughly three going on four days now. Enough time to be out of the danger zone for dying from the virus I would think," she added hopefully.

"Quake certainly shouldn't be dying on you anytime soon but what he's dealing with now is also different from any events I've heard about in my travels so far. From what I can see it looks like his body is still trying to reject the virus instead of it being assimilated into his body as I've heard or in one case seen happen after two days in other monsters. I'm not sure if its simply taking longer or if his age might have something to do with it. The other monsters were around or under 20 years of age. The oldest being 26. Quake I've already heard is over or approaching 100? It's already known that diablos are very rare in that their immune systems get stronger as they get older instead of growing, peaking, and then dropping off. Which is largely due to the cacti and plants that they love to eat," Rashid noted.

"My dad has always fed Quake a special diet to help supplement those he would have eaten in the desert that would improve his immune system. Medicinal herbs, plants and even some vegetables high in vitamins," Alistair confirmed after a moment of thought.

"My theory is that Quake's age and increased immune system have combined to create a greater resistance to the virus and his body is trying to reject it completely and purge it from his system instead of accepting it after the initial attack on his system happened," Rahid considered. "This is uncharted territory for me honestly but if his body is trying to purge the virus then my only helpful suggestion would be to try and help him do that. I'm sorry I can't be of more help," he apologized.

"You've still provided some good insight into what's going on. Although seeing him now reminds me more of an allergic response. If we look at the first day as the initial 'attack' period for the virus and after that it quiets down allowing it to be assimilated into the body, then this could be viewed as an overreaction couldn't it? Quake's body still thinks this virus is deadly and refuses to quit attacking it which isn't exactly a bad thing in the long run. But perhaps if we looked at it as an allergy then we could try and treat his symptoms without getting in the way of his body fighting off the virus. If that's successful then he could fight it off instead of still having the... benefits and problems you mentioned before," Alistair offered.

"That sounds like a good plan to me. You have a village healer and apprentice right?" Rashid asked.

"We do likely already on the way here. He'll know which medicine to use once we explain the situation to him," Alistair said and then paused a moment. "Quake... he's going to be okay isn't he?" she asked hesitantly. The thought of her childhood friend dying was unimaginable.

"He's passed the worst of it so he certainly should but as I said this is uncharted territory for me right now so I don't want to make any promises," Rashid said carefully. Alistair nodded, understanding even if she didn't like it. Quake had to be okay. He had to make it through this.

* * *

Amai fidgeted anxiously as Kurohana lifted the completed lenses and examined them. She had been painstakingly shaping and then layering thin slices of semi melted glass together for hours now and Amai had patiently waited through all of them, pausing only to get them both something to eat and check up on Raiden who had cracked an eye open long enough to give her a "go away I'm sleeping" look before resuming his nap.

"So? How do they look?" Amai finally blurted out. Her patience had improved over the past few months thanks to diligence and hard work at it but she still had her limits and today had put quite a strain on it. She wanted to make a good impression with Kurohana but having to keep up a constant monologue had started to wear on her as it was difficult to tell whether the other woman appreciated the conversation or was simply ignoring her. Other then mild annoyance at being distracted or looking uncomfortable when the silence got too long Kurohana didn't give much emotion away visibly. She hadn't said much since this morning either aside from brief moments when she did need absolute silence to work.

Kurohana ignored Amai's question and continued turning them around in the lamplight. Finally a few minutes later she put them down.

"No cracks in the glass or separation forming between the layers. These are finished. I'm going to keep them in a finishing solution to seal them and activate the chemicals that will allow them to darken and lighten up but in a few days they should be ready to wear. Did you need frames? I can do frames too," Kuro asked and for the first time Amai caught a hint of hopefulness in her voice.

"I have some leather hide and lagiacrus scales I was thinking of using to form soft frame goggles. Something durable but comfortable enough to wear for long periods of time if I need to," Amai said and then carefully added, "But I'd definitely welcome the help if you found yourself with some free time," she offered. She wanted Kurohana to know that she welcomed her company while also giving her an easy way to back out if she didn't feel the same.

Kurohana hesitated and adjusted a few bottles on her work table before nodding slowly.

"Sure. I'll see what I can do," she responded quietly. Her initial stiff if not hostile impression was not at all the same as what Amai had seen these past few hours.

_All that time around Alistair and Rain has definitely paid off,_ Amai thought fondly before standing up and dusting herself off.

"Okay then! Thanks for letting me stay so long," Amai said gratefully.

"I really didn't bore you?" Kuro asked sounding suspicious.

"Not at all. It was really cool seeing you work. I hope I can find a good way to thank you for making these for me," Amai added. Kurohana shrugged awkwardly and looked away.

"Its just what I was taught to do. Its not a big deal." Kuro said it dismissively but the way she kept touching and moving things that she had already touched and adjusted a few times already betrayed some level of anxiety.

"Well it means a lot to me and I really appreciate your work. See you around tomorrow then?" Amai left her question hanging. Kurohana just nodded silently and she took that as her cue to leave for the day. It was dark and she really needed to see if there was anyone left in the kitchen and dining hall. If not she would have to see if Raiden was hungry. She could always carve some meat off his kills and cook it. Of course she had stopped telling other hunters here that after the fourth time someone gave her a horrified look over it.

Amai had made it halfway to the dining hall when she heard footsteps hurrying to catch up with her. She looked behind her and saw Shirakawa running up.

"Hey there you are! I was just checking in to see how Kuro was doing and she said you had already left," Shiro stated sounding out of breath. It wasn't that far from Kurohana's room to the dining hall so either he had been running before that or he wasn't nearly as in shape as he looked. The thought that she was more in shape then he was suddenly seemed very amusing.

"What's so funny?" Shiro asked as Amai smothered her laughter.

"Are you okay? You seem a bit... winded," Amai said instead. Shiro flushed and looked embarrassed. He bent over slightly to catch his breath.

"Apparently being able to lift bundles of supplies and moving sewing equipment doesn't help one's endurance when it comes to running to catch up with someone. Mother and father instilled many things in me but a love of physical exertion was not one of them," he responded with a grin.

"Well why don't we head to the dining hall at a more leisurely pace then?" Amai suggested this time not hiding her smile.

"Much appreciated. I was coming to get something for my sister so I'm afraid I won't be able to stay. I was looking forward to possibly getting a chance to talk with you more," he apologized. "You're quite an intriguing woman. Perhaps you would have a free moment we could spend together some other time?" he asked hopefully. Now Amai hesitated and took a moment before responding.

A number of women and a few men had shown interest in Shiro since they all arrived here but he had politely and kindly rebuffed them. He had however been taking every chance he could to spend time with her instead.

As charming as he was, though, Amai wasn't interested anything casual and she didn't want to pursue a serious relationship or marriage until she was a few years older at least. But he had made a good first impression and she was hoping that would remain. It had only been a week after all. She barely knew him and she wasn't going to let her hormones do the thinking for her.

When Amai continued to be silent Shiro quickly spoke up again.

"Forgive me. Am I being too forward? I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," he said sounding sincere. Amai stopped and turned around to face him.

"Shiro you're charming and handsome and I won't deny that you've made a _very good_ first impression on me," she began, "But I don't want there to be any mixed signals made here. We've got years of training here and I don't want to spend them with awkward encounters and run ins because someone misunderstood something," she paused to take a breath as Shiro's eyebrows rose up in surprise. She wanted to get all this out before her courage failed her.

"I feel really weird saying this considering its only been a few days since we met but if you're interested... seriously interested then you need to know that I'm not ready yet. For anything. And when I am I need something serious. That's what I want for myself. I would love to get to know you better but I came here for the Guild School and I want to focus on that first," Amai said a bit breathless from blurting all of that out.

Shirakawa was fighting back a smile now and paused to clear his throat.

"Understood loud and very clear my lady. Perhaps I could accompany you as a potential friend... until such time as a mutual decision is made to become something more? If I may dare to hope for such in the future?" Shiro said deliberately pouring out every ounce of his charm and refinement into his words. Amai blushed slightly at his teasing grin and smacked him on the arm.

"Shall I take that as a yes?" Shiro asked with a laugh.

"Yes now stop that. I'm still hungry and you're slowing me down," Amai shot back.

"Well never let it be said that I got in the way of a lady and her next meal. My sister has already shown me how dangerous that is and she will again if I end up being any later getting her something to eat." Shiro put his hands up in mock defense as he said it.

"She seems like a very wise woman then," Amai replied and he laughed at that.

"Really though, Amai I want to thank you for what you did today," Shiro said becoming more serious. "My sister has always had difficulty being around other people not to mention making friends. Being in large groups or crowds is hard on her and even one on one it can be overwhelming sometimes. She's come a long way thanks to the help she's gotten over the years but it still affects her. She may not say it but making the effort to reach out today meant a lot to her and it means a lot to me seeing her happy. Thank you,"he said warmly.

"Its..." Amai stopped herself before she could say it was no big deal. Clearly it was to them. "I'm glad I could help. I hope maybe Kurohana and I can become friends. Its going to be a long few years here so it would be nice to have some friends," she said thinking ahead to all that was to come. If she knew one thing about the Guild it was that they didn't pull any punches. It might be a tough road ahead but she was looking forward to every minute of it.

* * *

Alistair woke up to Quake snorting and grunting loudly. She scrambled to her feet but discovered that it was just him dreaming. It was the dead of night, possibly early in the morning now, but he was definitely breathing easier if she was to judge by all the noise he was currently making.

Sighing heavily, she collapsed back on the ground and rubbed her eyes. There were still others gathered around such as Alistair's dad who had come to keep watch over Quake as well as the village healer who was sleeping a short distance away. Torches had been set up and were burning an oil and plant mixture which kept the bugs away.

Rain was back behind the quarantine line along with Ginouji and Akairo. Unlike the two rathalos, Rain clearly hadn't gotten much sleep and while she had been trying to put on a brave face, Alistair could see how worried Rain was for her. Even now she looked unhappy and clearly under a lot of stress.

Alistair hadn't been sleeping any better. She had lost count of how many times she had woken up. If it wasn't Quake then it was a whole list of other things. The real reason was simply that she wasn't used to going to sleep or waking up without Rain by her side anymore which was making her very cranky. As much as she loved Quake she wanted him to get better sooner rather then later otherwise this separation and quarantine was really going to fray her already frazzled nerves.

She yawned again and had to remind herself not to rub her eyes. They still didn't know how contagious Quake was and she shouldn't take chances. Technically no one but herself, her dad, the village healer and the guards keeping watch should be here but Rain had adamantly refused to leave. If not for Ginouji and Akairo needing her then Alistair knew without a doubt that Rain would be over here beside her now.

Alistair sighed once more and tried to get somewhat comfortable but all she could think about was how soggy the ground was and how muddy Quake still was and how humid the air was and how much she missed the constant ocean breezes and...

_Will you stop already? This isn't helping,_ Alistair grumbled and sat back down before she could start pacing. There was nothing more they could do. The healer would continue giving Quake medicine when he woke up and they would wait to see the results. _There's nothing more to do but sit back and wait,_ she yawned and tried once again to try and get some rest.


	13. Peace and Quiet

Coming back home had made Alistair realize many things. How she should have come back here sooner, how much her parents loved her, how much she missed the village but most of all it made her realized how spoiled she had become living in a bigger port city like Tanzia.

While most homes in the village had private toilets and wash centers or sinks only a scant few had personal tubs for bathing. Most used the public ones which had rain collectors and water chutes set up to funnel water through the pipes indoors for showers and tubs. When the village healer finally cleared Alistair from quarantine, after another long three days of waiting, she was required to go through the usual cleansing rituals. That meant that her only choice was to use her parent's tub which involved hand pumping cold water and putting refill buckets on a fire to get them warm or standing out by the lake in the buff while the healer made sure she did it appropriately and didn't contaminate anything else.

"I miss having a private home bath and hot running water and electricity. Not boiling water or using the sun warmed rain catchers in the public bathhouse," Alistair muttered as she fiercely scrubbed away at her skin with a sponge. Rain rolled her eyes as she poured another bucket of hot water into the tub around her.

"So what you're saying is this is partially my fault for spoiling you so much?" Rain asked. Her lips twitched up in amusement as she said it.

"Exactly. I'm glad we're on the same page," Alistair replied before grabbing more soap.

"I'll buy you some of those fancy bath bombs you like when we get back," Rain promised. She put the bucket down to the side and tested the water temperature with a finger before nodding in satisfaction.

"Also I have to do this all again tonight until all of this soap and shampoo both are used up," Alistair added as she washed the soap off her arms. She reached out of the tub and stretched an arm out to try and grab the jar of special cleansing shampoo the healer had given to her but Rain beat her to it.

"Here let me take care of it. I'm going to have this smell in my nose for days after this anyway," Rain stated as she grabbed the jar and pulled the stool over closer. "At least Quake got a clean bill of health. His hide is back to its normal color and his eyes aren't irritated anymore. I admit I was skeptical about burning sage under his nose at first but his breathing is definitely back to normal," she said as she poured some of the shampoo into one hand. She rubbed her hands together and nudged Alistair to get her to lean her head back. Rain unscrewed the glass jar of shampoo and nearly gagged.

"Oh ceadeus below I spoke too soon. What is in this stuff?" Rain said nearly choking on the smell.

"Swamp shrooms, bog algae and felyne moss along with some different oils to make sure it doesn't ruin a person's hair in the process. The mushrooms are known to absorb deadly toxins from the land they grow on and renders them harmless as the fungus dies, which is why we don't eat them. Bog algae does the same for water and felyne's use the moss in a cleansing soap that attracts and clumps together any nasty stuff in their fur that they can't, or don't want to, lick out on their own. Hence the name," Alistair explained. She closed her eyes and let Rain work the shampoo through her hair. It was growing down around her neck again and she badly wanted Rain to give her haircut but had kept putting it off before they left Tanzia.

"Attracts anything nasty in your hair and skin, pulls it out and washes it away. Very nice. Now if only they could work on the smell," Rain said with a grimace.

"The soap has a few different ingredients meant to cleanse the skin and leave it nourished and moisturized. Those ingredients are flower and fruit based so it thankfully smells a lot better," Alistair said. Opening her eyes she grinned at the face Rain was making. "Try not to waste any. I have to use up the whole jar and let it sit for half a mark, or 30 minutes, between each washing," she warned.

"Its no wonder all the villagers here have managed to stay healthy and avoid plagues for so long. All the diseases take one whiff of this stuff and die off," Rain muttered. Still she grabbed a little more and kneaded it into Alistair's hair making sure not to miss any spots. Alistair sighed at the gentle massage and closed her eyes again.

"Like you said before at least Quake is going to be okay. He's not as grumpy any more either. I know dad is relieved to finally have him cleared. It would have broken his heart if anything happened to him," Alistair said. "The entire village feels happier now too. Everyone loves Quake and he's been a vital part of the community but one of the elders admitted that its been a sharp wakeup call that the council needs to get started now on finding another diablos who can replace him," she added. She sat up and tilted her head forward as Rain directed before continuing.

"Mom said you spoke to her about our plans to move. Well not plans so much as our discussions but anyway she said that her and dad have been thinking of doing the same thing. Moving to Yukumo Village. They aren't young anymore and this is tough work but I think mom would rather retire Quake and move there sooner rather then later," Alistair added.

"All done," Rain said. She moved back and grabbed a towel to wipe her hands off with. "So would you be okay with that? Having them nearby I mean?" Rain asked curiously.

"Having my parents living in the same place as us? Before this trip I wouldn't have had an answer to that but now... now I'm still not sure. A week or more isn't the same as living down the street from them day in and day out but I really want to be hopeful about it you know? Hopeful that we can keep repairing our relationship. I do want them to live closer to me," Alistair confessed. "What about you? Would you be okay with having your in-laws so close?" She tilted her head back to look at Rain who was now standing up.

"You aren't the only person your parents have been trying to bond with on this trip. You're doing better, feeling better, and finally having happy days again. That's all they've wanted for you," Rain answered.

"And you helped make it happen so how could they not be grateful?" Alistair added warmly, "Don't fidget and act shy like that you know its true," she added making Rain blush. "Besides you do so much for me but I want you to be happy as well and being in Tanzia clearly isn't doing that anymore. I don't like that. I don't like seeing you unhappy," she said softly.

"So we're moving then?" Rain asked. They had discussed it together but never made a definite decision.

"I'm ready when you are," Alistair confirmed. "I know Ginouji and Akairo will be excited to see a new place. What about Shurika and Seiva?" Alistair asked. Rain's lagiacrus had always hovered around but since Storm and Sakala's murder they had been stuck to her like glue. Even Shurika, an abyssal lagiacrus whose usual territory would deep water, refused to stay out at sea anymore.

"Oh they'll come if they have to walk after me over land the entire way. The largest river running through Misty Peaks near Yukumo Village extends down here to the ocean so we could actually take a boat almost all of the way there but you know what I mean," Rain assured her. "Plus there's plenty of water ways and rivers in the area for them to live in and enjoy. I'll just have to make sure to warn the locals ahead of time," she added thoughtfully.

"And the business? I mean I know you said before that you were okay closing it but..." Alistair stopped, her eyes filled with worry.

"Its not like we're hurting for zenni even factoring in a move and getting a new place. If there's one thing I've learned its how to save for hard times. I love what I do but... its just not the same without Storm there and too much reminds me of him. I'll turn it over to my best employee and let her handle it. I know she can do it and she deserves the chance. I'll see about setting up a shop in Yukumo or just learning to do something else. But I'm ready to leave it behind along with all my other bad memories. I'm really looking forward to a place to start fresh you know?" Rain admitted.

"I agree. Think maybe we'll actually get a chance to relax after all this when we get home?" Alistair asked hopefully.

"With Ginouji and Akairo almost ready to start flying around for real? Not a chance," Rain warned. Alistair sighed in resignation and pulled at her hair.

"Well a woman can dream. They really are growing so fast now aren't they?" Alistair said wistfully. "I can't believe they'll be flying soon. I'm not ready for this. Can't they stay little forever?" she moaned. Rain laughed and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Now you have an idea of how your parents feel every time they bring up what you were like as a kid," Rain pointed out.

"Don't remind me. Things are only going to get more crazy from now on not less," Alistair observed.

* * *

"Wipe that smile off your face," Alistair growled. Rain tried to keep a neutral expression but soon found a smile tugging back at her lips.

"This is not funny!" Alistair insisted and now Rain burst out laughing as Ginouji tilted his head back and forth making curious gurgles as he examined her head.

The jar of shampoo that Alistair had been told to use had done its job and now she was clean and cleared for normal human contact among the villagers again. The only problem was that the extensive cleansing process, while leaving her with nice, smooth skin had also turned her hair a very... intense shade of green. To be fair it was a darker green but still green nonetheless.

"You realize you're supposed to be on my side in all of this right?" Alistair tried again. Not only had her parents banished her from the house because of the smell but they had laughed at her hair as well.

"At least monsters won't mistake you for a meal now," Rain teased. That joke earned her a halfhearted smack from Alistair for her joke. Rain scooted a few steps closer and wrapped her arms around Alistair's waist letting her chin drop down onto her shoulder.

"I'm sorry your hair turned green and I still think you look beautiful," Rain apologized. Ginouji had evidently satisfied his curiosity about Alistair's new hair and went back to lay down on the grass with his brother.

"Better," Alistair accepted. She dropped the hand mirror she had been holding and sighed. "I still can't believe this. I mean not just green-ish but deep green. I might as well be a tree in the forest looking like this and it could be a couple weeks to a couple months before this color starts leeching out," she complained.

"Well on the bright side at least its just the color. It could be worse and smell the whole time as well," Rain pointed out.

"I guess," Alistair said doubtfully. "But I am not looking forward to having to explain this every time I need something from someone," she added with a grimace and pulled at one of the loose curls that had started to form in her hair again. "At least Quake is okay. He is still okay right?" she asked. Rain had left to go check on him while Alistair took a nap earlier after all the cleansing she had to do.

"He's looking fine. Just a bit impatient. Took a small army to scrub him with the batches of cleanser the Healer made up though. Quake also seems to think its his responsibility to patrol around the village now and protect it in case that monster comes back so one of the scouting groups took him along tonight. I think they did it as much to keep the smell of the cleanser from sticking around the village as they did to make him stop fussing," Rain explained with a chuckle. She could feel Alistair relax at that reassurance a second later.

"This whole mess reminds me of how fragile life can be sometimes. I still worry all the time about something happening to Ginouji and Akairo and with this..." Alistair trailed off and shivered. Rain pulled her closer to try and comfort her.

"I know. I feel the same way about them and about my lagiacrus. We'll train them and teach them as best we can and we'll love and enjoy every day we have together while hoping for the best," Rain whispered to her. She didn't want Ginouji and Akairo to overhear her. They were always surprising her with how smart they were and how much they understood but this was one conversation she didn't want to burden them with.

"It may not be much but its enough sometimes and one day they'll be big enough to handle themselves just like Quake did with that gore magala," Rain added. Alistair nodded and settled back against her.

"I shouldn't have gone running up to him the way I did," Alistair added softly. "I know I was worried about Quake but I should have been more careful before approaching him like that when he was hurt and possibly disoriented. Not to mention sick and possibly contagious or dangerous if he hadn't recognized me and lashed out instead. I have you to think about along with Ginouji and Akairo to raise. Even if things have turned out well I still should have slowed down and been more careful. I'm sorry for worrying you," she apologized. "You haven't said anything but I know you well enough to see how stressed out and upset you've been. I'm sorry for scaring you," she said again this time turning around to look her in the eyes.

Good intentions or not it had been dangerous to go rushing in like that. Rain closed her eyes and let her forehead rest against Alistair's.

"I was so worried about you. Worried you would get sick, worried Quake might hurt you, worried about Ginouji and Akairo catching something, worried I might lose you to that monster," Rain whispered heavily. Alistair reached up to stroke her cheek gently.

"I'm sorry and I promise I'll be more careful in the future," Alistair promised.

"I don't know what I would do if I lost you. Any of you," Rain told her. She lifted her head and let Alistair press in against her neck, holding her close. She was safe. She was here. They were fine. All of them were fine.

"I know we accomplished a lot with my family on this trip but I still wish it hadn't been quite so stressful. We need a date night when this is over," Alistair murmured.

"Agreed," Rain responded with a small laugh. "With any desserts you want and a few to take home," she promised. Alistair smiled at that and turned back to watch Ginouji and Akairo as they stared up at the stars together.

* * *

Another morning had come and after the assigned breakfast hours everyone was gathering in the largest assembly hall. Amai had spotted Kurohana sitting up near the top of the curved seating area waiting for the formal Guild class introduction to start and had gone up to sit with her.

When Amai offered to pay Kurohana back for the goggles she had finished making the woman had instead surprised her by asking to know more about where she came from. Their people were distantly related after all as evidence by the white hair Shirakawa had. Although it was a separation of more then a few centuries and a pretty big ocean journey, Amai had been looking for chances to become friends with Kurohana so she wasn't going to nitpick the details now. In fact Amai was almost done with her tale of the First Awakening of Ukanlos and Akantor when Shirakawa came in and started slowly climbing up the steps towards them.

"So their First Awakening was what caused all the natural disasters of the time?" Kuro asked her. "Ukanlos awoke first after an avalanche and it was followed by the appearance of Akantor. Amatsumagatsuchi used her storms to divide Ukanlos from the lands of the south and then drove him back underground to stop the chaos raging across the land because of his anger. When she turned her attention to Akantor she found that humans had already driven him back to isolation protecting the land from further harm. She blessed their land and promised that none of her storms would pass through their village again. Then she returned home to the Sacred Pinnacle near Yukomo to rest from the fighting," Kuro repeated.

"Yup. Every village has a Lore Keeper who remembers and writes down all the old tales so they aren't forgotten or lost. We all learn them as kids and they get passed onto the Keeper's apprentice or apprentices. It's a big part of our history," Amai said proudly.

"I've heard that tale before. It came to us long, long ago from those who left and then returned. A reference to the tribes of your home to the people who left our continent and came to this one to explore and then live," Kuro said thoughtfully. "It's kept in the national archives along with other legends they gave us," she added.

"It's cool to know that things haven't changed much even with the distance and the centuries between us. There are a few we have passed down from the homeland as we call it. Where our ancestors came from," Amai added. She broke off as Shirakawa finally made his way up the last of the steps, panting and wheezing with each one.

"You know... the... other night... I was feeling rather... rather good about the way things turned out," Shiro gasped out. "I made a... a good impression on a beautiful... and amazing woman. I can be a patient man... I can show my good intentions... and pure motives and I can... oh man... I can wait until such time as she is ready to pursue a relationship," he panted as he collapsed on the stone seat in front of them. "So I was feeling great... about myself and... and of the way I handled things. Now... now today I find myself, running through the halls... and climbing... climbing to the heavens themselves to impress said woman... in the hopes of keeping her attention," he stopped to breathe, his chest rising and falling heavily as he recovered from the climb.

"Might not have to if you bothered to exercise," Kuro pointed out unsympathetically as Shirakawa stretched out across the bench and put an arm over his eyes.

"Hey I may... lag behind when it comes to... to physical activity but sooner or later... someone's last good pair of clothing or... or armor is going to need mending... and then... then we'll see who has the last laugh," Shiro grumbled back at his sister.

"I go out running every morning with Raiden. You could come along," Amai offered him. "You could even gather stuff you might need for sewing. Like plant fibers for thread or materials for making different color dyes," she suggested. Shiro perked up at that suggestion.

"That... that is good idea. I could stand... to scout the area... so I know the land and... and what I'll have to work with in the future. Just don't be surprised if... you lap me several times," Shiro agreed. His breathing was finally starting to settle now.

"You might even work up some stamina for once instead of just letting Baburu carrying you around everywhere like he's your personal mount," Kuro added dryly. Shiro snorted in retort.

"I'll consider it. If only to have the... pleasure of Amai's company," Shiro added while flashing his most charming smile. Amai didn't resist the answering smile the sprang her own lips as well. There was no point in denying how attractive he was. Especially when he was actively trying to be charming. However, that didn't mean she wasn't going to tease him.

"My grandfather always said that nothing will humble a man's pride faster then trying to impress a confident woman," Amai stated with a smirk.

"Ah... but you _are_ impressed?" Shiro said hopefully. Amai couldn't help but laugh at that.

"By the fact that you nearly passed out trying to climb these torturous set of steps just so you could see me? Very," Amai assured him.

"Then the temporary... humiliation is worth it I assure you. Your grandfather sounds like a wise man," Shiro added with a grin.

There was a loud banging as one of the Guild instructors called the room to attention. Everyone enrolled had arrived now so there were about 25 people here total not including the monster or in some cases monsters that they had brought along. Not a bad size for the first group.

"Thank you all for coming here to this class. The purpose of these next few years will be to train both you and your monster companions to better survive off the land, identify and follow trails through all sorts of different environments and to practice more advanced medicine then just mixing a potion or antidote in the woods," the instructor told them. His deep voice boomed throughout the curved room and the conversation died as he spoke.

"The Guild has hunters, it has researchers, it has enforcers, it has teachers both active in the field and those who have retired from it. The one thing it does not have is a rescue force!" he explained to them. "If a hunter is lost, a research airship goes down, a civilian or caravan doesn't turn up or an isolated village goes dark it can take days for the Guild Knights to be called from other duties and longer for something to be done. If we are to continue living on this continent and living alongside the monsters here then that has to change!" he bellowed out.

"We need people who can get out there quickly. Not just to identify what went wrong but to track them down and engage in a rescue operation if necessary. That may include fighting off monsters to help someone or to take back what's left of their body or personal effects so that the family can have closure. So in the midst of what you'll be learning here you will also be training in your chosen weapon style or styles so that your skills don't become dull," he stated. The instructor paced back and forth across the platform down below as he spoke.

"A monster companion will not only allow you to travel faster or access areas that you couldn't before but their skills could prove invaluable in searching for someone, protecting you, or assisting in situations you haven't encountered before or simply can't handle alone. We want to be able to deploy you guys in pairs when the time comes but that won't always be possible. However, this also has the potential to be very dangerous which means you'll need more advanced medical knowledge so you can stay calm if you, your monster, or the person your searching for gets seriously injured," he stopped and turned to face them once again.

"This will not be easy but it will change lives and hopefully save them. It will make you smarter, tougher, and better then you were before. So are you ready to get started?" he demanded. An enthusiastic cry went up from everyone at that and Amai happily joined in her excitement building as she thought about what was to come.

* * *

Alistair kissed Quake's nose affectionately and rubbed between his horns the way he loved.

"Thank you for protecting us. I know you'll keep mom and dad safe the way you always do," she whispered to him. Quake snorted and gentled bumped her in return. She gave him one more kiss before pulling back allowing Ginouji and Akairo to give their own goodbyes.

Alistair walked back over to her parents and hugged her mother again tightly. Mira kissed her on both cheeks before pulling back with tears in her eyes.

"Aww mom don't. I'm trying not to cry and you aren't helping," Alistair pleaded. Her mother laughed and hugged her tightly again.

"I'm just so happy you finally came back and I'm happy you have Rain with you now. I'm sorry for how things have been between us in the past," Mira apologized.

"I'm the one who needs to apologize. I haven't been treating you fairly in all this," Alistair confessed.

"You've been sick and we haven't always understood what that implied and what you needed to get better. But you're being helped now and you have a family of your own again. I like seeing you happy, seeing you smile more like you used to. Just remember to stay in touch," Mira added sternly.

"I'll write to you all the time and let you know when we start our move," Alistair added. She glanced over her shoulder to Rain who was talking to her dad. Alistair had drawn some pictures of her parents and Quake that Rain was handing over now. Alistair was already emotional and trying to give them her gift would really have made her cry like a baby.

"And I'll let you know when I finally convince your dad to do the same," Mira said in a conspiratorial whisper.

"I... I'd like to live close to you again," Alistair said hesitantly. Mira gave her another kiss on the cheek at that.

"Your dad and I would love that as well. I suspect that you moving farther away will be the biggest reason your dad finally decides to leave this place. He's missed you so much. Even more after our time together now. So don't worry. We won't be far behind you," Mira said reassuringly.

"Thanks mom. Although Ginouji and Akairo might be a lot bigger by then," Alistair said with an affectionate look over at where they were excitedly saying their goodbyes to Quake.

"I'll be looking forward to it. Now get going before the caravan leader takes off without you," Mira said shooing her off even as she wiped a few more tears from her eyes.

"Goodbye mom."

"Goodbye sweetie and may the path be clear ahead of you."


	14. Two Year Marker

Rain tried not to fidget as the dark-skinned wyverian, who was old even by their long lived standards, reached into the mesh bag she had brought back to him. He drew out rocks of different sizes, examining each one before putting them on the table in front of him. Most were roughly the size of a human's hand or fist. Once they were all neatly on the table he returned the bag to her.

They were standing outside of his home under of a large roof covering that was blowing gently in the wind. The tables where he sold most of his wares was in front and the brick shop where he worked most was a short distance away near but separate from the back of the house.

Seiva was leaning down curiously to watch and Rain had to keep shooing his head back before he could get the roof covering caught on his horns. He snorted and chuffed at her when she turned to scowl at him again.

"You can see just fine without pushing your way in," Rain chastised him. Seiva rumbled and reluctantly pulled back a little but only a little. Rain sighed as Linsho glanced over at her with a tiny approving smile.

"You understand him well. It's rare to see humans with such a deep understanding and respect for monsters," Linsho noted.

"There's another one but she sticks to the rivers and lake and we have two rathalos to raise as well," Rain pointed out. It must have been the right thing to say because Linsho's face brightened more.

"Ahh, yes the young woman with the red and silver wyverns tagging along. Lovely artist. Bought some artwork from her to hang in the house just the other day," Linsho said with a pleased hum. Rain blushed slightly at that.

Being here in Yukumo Village was so different from back in Tanzia and she still wasn't used to not having to worry every time someone saw her and Alistair together or bite her tongue because she heard someone talking behind their backs. So far most of the villagers had simply treated them as a new curiosity because of the monsters they had brought along with them. The fact that both Rain had been doing odd jobs and repairs for people as she looked for long term work had gone a long way with the long-term residents who were used to tourists and others who were just passing through.

"Pick two of them," Linsho directed. Rain pulled her attention back and hesitated for a moment, her eyes roving over the rocks she had collected before grabbing two. One was small enough for Rain to close her fingers around and the other was about the size of her fist.

"You sure?" Linsho asked.

"Positive. The hot springs around here are part of a very extensive underground water system. Rocks and minerals from other places end up in the system and get pushed back up towards the surface where they sometimes end up being dumped into the river ways throughout this area where they can be collected. They also end up in the lake where the heavier items stay and collect while the lighter ones are swept further down river," Rain said confidently.

"Sounds like you've done some research," Linsho pointed out.

"I wanted to get a good feel for the area so I might have a better idea of the best places to look. Public records are a great resource if you know which ones to look in," Rain said honestly.

"Do some research first so you waste less time later on. I like your methods," he replied.

Linsho then took the rocks and weighed them in his hands thoughtfully. With a nod to himself he shuffled back into the brick shop where his equipment was. There was a loud long grinding sound as he spun up a saw and got to work cutting the rocks he had taken in half. Rain rocked back and forth on her heels impatiently as he worked. Finally a few minutes later he came shuffling back.

He placed both on an empty counter space for her to see. Both of them had been cut in half. The smaller one was striated with black and gray lines but covering the open center like snow was a fine gray white crystal. The bigger one was solid and went from teal at the edges to lighter shades of blue green and then white in the center.

"You've a good eye for geodes. I've had plenty of people come up here to my shop claiming to be treasure hunters or scholars studying the old world but few who could do anything practical with it. I sell rocks, minerals, gemstones and jewelry. Knowing the history of a rare piece is nice and all but I need someone who can find what I need, make what I need from it, and then sell it to interested parties," Linsho said blending a compliment with a critical warning.

"My brother and I successfully ran a shop in Tanzia Port for years. We've sold just about everything you can imagine. Or returned items to those civilizations or descendants of such who are still around," Rain said quickly. She loved hunting for treasure but she wasn't a thief. There had been a huge problem a few years ago with the Travelling Merchant's Guild selling off sacred Wyverian charms instead of returning the ancient items to a Wyverian elder so the right tribe or village could be contacted. Some of the merchants ended up losing their Merchant's Guild license.

"License?" Linsho asked and Rain quickly fumbled around in the large pocket of her sleeveless tunic to grab the small book. Linsho took it and examined the Guild stamp on the inside as well as the other pages.

"Clean marks and no major warnings or smaller infractions since it was stamped. I'd normally assume that anyone making your claims was greatly exaggerating, or outright lying, but everything checks out. That and you can make practical application of all that knowledge floating up in your head. That's a far more rare skill in this line of work then you might expect," Linsho said with a nod towards the all the rocks she had pulled up.

"I'll get these cut and polished. Some sold as halves, others sliced, and a few even made into jewelry or other trinkets. You'll get a majority cut of whatever sells. We'll see how fast they sell and what else you and your lagiacrus can pull up. If things go well enough then I may have you stick to that. I'm too old to go wandering around the woods or diving into the lake depths for more stock myself these days," Llnsho told her.

A relieved smile broke out across Rain's face at that news. Even back in Tanzia she had heard of Linsho and the work he did. It was an honor to be working with him and even better to have a job doing what she loved again.

"I come to town regularly so I'll check back in a week," Rain suggested.

"Acceptable. Now shoo. I've got work to do and your lagiacrus is scaring away my customers," Linsho said waving his hands at her. Seiva gave an offended snort at that but Rain gave his head a quick hug along with the quiet assurance that he wasn't at all scary.

* * *

Ginouji spread his wings as wide as he could planting his feet as the wind on the cliff buffeted him. Unlike the first time he tried it he didn't get shoved backwards when the wind blew harder. Now he stood firm letting his wings fill. They were big enough and strong enough to carry him through the air. Not just gliding down like he had been doing with Akairo, but up, up until everything below was tiny.

He could hear Jasper standing there not far behind him. Ginouji and Akairo were both bigger then him now. When mother and Rain told him that they were leaving the ocean Jasper had been there to see them off and was very happy for them. After a few suns and moons on the boat taking them here they had woken up to see Jasper there. saying that he had changed his mind. He couldn't leave until they were the best flyers around. So he had built a new nest away from the new vilage but came to see them all the time. Soon they would take all of the things he had taught them and start using it for real.

"Fly soon. Few more suns and moons," Jasper chirped.

"Looong way. Fyyy sssoon. Mmmaa wants fammily see. Big day," Akairo said his voice noticeably deeper then it had been a few seasons before. Ginouji huffed impatiently but retracted his wings all the same. Mother's family was coming there along with Quake. She wanted them to be here to see them fly for the very first time. Actually fly. Not just glide short distances or hover like they had been doing.

"Fawww easy. Ssstay up harrrd," Ginouji repeated and Jasper bobbed his head upon hearing the words he had told them both.

"Easy get up. Harder stay up. Storms, wind, hot air, dead air, turn and land. Many things learn yet," Jasper warned them. "Flying amazing. Less amazing if wing get broken," he added fluttering his wings. He had been making sure sure they didn't forget to be careful in their excitement to finally be flying.

Still the thought of finally flying made Ginouji restless but he needed to wait. He wanted mother and Rain to be proud of him. Of both of them. He felt Akairo rest his head on the back of his neck and relaxed as his brother rumbled deep in his throat.

_Calm. All safe._

Ginouji closed his eyes and rumbled back.

_Calm. All safe._

* * *

Rain tried not to fidget impatiently as the clerk searched to see if any messages had come in for them. She had seen a crimson qurupeco with Message Guild symbols painted on the underside of its wings fly in earlier this morning. They should have had time to sort through the mail they got by now but the clerk was apparently new.

Taking a deep breath she reminded herself to relax. She was just impatient to get back to Alistair and tell her the good news. There was no reason to rush.

"Here we go! Oh... oh wait that's not it either."

Rain closed her eyes and summoned her patience as the people waiting behind her sighed in frustration or muttered impatiently.

"Ah! Found them!" the clerk said triumphantly before he reappeared from the back room carrying a small bundle and a few letters. "Sorry for taking so long," he said sounding deeply apologetic.

"You've only been working here two days. I understand," Rain said plastering a smile on her face.

"Do you need anything else?" he asked kindly.

She needed a new postage stamp and address stamp as well as a new ink pad for them but she would have to come back another time for those. If this took any longer the people behind her would start doing a lot more then just sigh or grumble quietly in discontent.

"No I'm good. Have a nice day!" Rain said politely before hurrying away to the relief of the line which had grown noticeably longer behind her.

As Rain headed away from town back towards the tiny row of houses she spotted Ginouji and Akairo walking towards her. They must have come from the cliffs overlooking the lake. In a few months both rathalos would be roughly half of their adult size which made them pretty big even now. Despite their size though they footsteps were surprisingly quiet. Alistair had trained them well in the art of stealth when hunting and now it had carried over into everything else they did.

Both of them gave happy hums of greeting before crowding around her to nuzzle her affectionately. Rain hugged both of them and then kissed Akairo on the nose, he would sulk if she didn't. Ginouji she scratched behind one of his ears until he closed his eyes in satisfaction.

"How did it go today?" Rain asked them.

"Eeeat well. Easy uuunt," Akairo said. Their pronunciation was definitely improving but they still came up short sometimes. Plus their deepening voices were taking them some getting used to mentally. Akairo tended to slur his words a bit more then his brother did. While Ginouji use more body language.

"Where did you go hunting?" Rain asked as they walked back to the house.

"Deep frrrest, good eeeating, " Akairo told her. They hunted entirely on their own now without Alistair's guidance. Although they knew to leave the village beasts and farm monsters alone. It had taken longer to get Alistair to agree to let them go then it had Ginouji and Akairo. They were more then eager to prove themselves "real hunters" and bring back a kill to their mother. Alistair had fretted the whole time before they showed up hours later just fine and dragging along an huge aptonoth. Rain roasted it with herbs and spices and they had a huge feast. Even Seiva and Shurika had some.

Ginouji churred curiously and bobbed of his head towards the letters in Rain's hands asking her what they were.

"What? Oh! I haven't looked at them yet," Rain said quickly flipping through them. One was from Alistair's parents. She ripped it open and scanned the letter.

"Looks like Alistair's parents will be here in two days. That's uh... two suns and one moon. So you'd better keep practicing for your big flight," Rain told them and both of them huffed in excitement.

"Go siim. Get strrong for fight. Mma there wiff pint. See soon," Ginouji said his eyes already drifting off towards the lake.

"Alistair is there painting? We must have just missed each other then," Rain mused. She saw Seiva hesitate clearly wanting to go swim.

"Go on. I'll be fine," she assured him. Storm's death may be over a year past but both lagiacrus were still hesitant to leave her or Alistair alone. But they couldn't hover around all the time as much as they tried. Still when Seiva continued to waver she knew he wouldn't leave her side. He worried about her more then Shurika did. Granted he worried a lot less now that Akairo and Ginouji were bigger but the idea of her being at home all alone clearly bothered him. If Alistair was there it would be another thing since she was apparently still a mighty axe wielding monster slayer in his mind. Once a hunter, always a hunter. Although to be fair Alistair did still keep a number of chosen weapons mounted up around the house just in case and she still practiced with them occasionally.

"All right why don't we all go there together then? I don't mind going back to spend some time there," Rain decided and Seiva visibly relaxed at that. He leaned down to rest his head against her and she rubbed under his jaw reassuringly.

* * *

Alistair hummed a sailor's song to herself as she dipped her paintbrush and carefully applied the color to the canvas. She had been taking art lessons from a teacher who had originally come here to retire. The lessons were going well but Alistair's confidence in her own abilities and skill was still pretty low. So today her teacher had instructed her to go somewhere she liked and paint something on her own, no hand holding. So after leaving Rain a note on the counter, Alistair had come down to the sandy shore of the lake. Shurika was off hunting in the deepest parts of the lake.

She was so focused on getting her painting right that it took a moment before she realized someone was standing behind her. Craning her neck back she saw Rain standing there with an amused smile on her lips. Ginouji and Akairo barely spared her a glance before they barreled full speed into the water to go swimming. Seiva at least rumbled in greeting to her before he slid off into the water and disappeared.

"Well hello to you too," Alistair said with a roll of her eyes. Their love of the water had yet to dull and at this point they seemed more like fish then wyverns.

"That painting looks beautiful," Rain said appreciatively. Alistair dropped her head and frowned at her work.

"You really think so? Not too bright on the blue? The colors on the lake don't clash with the green on the mountains?" Alistair asked critically.

The lake itself was huge with the hills on the far side fading slightly into mist and low lying clouds. Far closer on the left were the cliffs and short waterfall where Ginouji and Akairo had been training with Jasper. Then there were the few boats filled with fisherman or travelers making their way downstream. Flying lazily above the lake in a wide wicker basket were some weather researchers from... somewhere Alistair couldn't remember. One of them insisted on continuously leaning a bit too far over the side for Alistair's stress levels.

"I think it will look great hanging up in our home or someone else's. You have a lot of skill and you've been working hard to build on it. You're a great artist," Rain assured her. Alistair made a face, still not entirely convinced but that was a debate for another time.

"So how did it go?" Alistair asked instead.

"I got the job. Back to treasure hunting. This area is known for having a lot of geodes and other minerals. A lot of river feed into the ones around here so a lot of stuff gets washed through..." Rain paused and blushed. "But you've already heard me go on and on about that a hundred times," she said apologetically.

"And I don't mind hearing it again. Besides I'm sure you've heard enough about how to mix colors from me to last a lifetime," Alistair pointed out.

"Of course not. Just half a lifetime is all," Rain teased her. She paused and looked up at the weather research balloon as the basket rose higher into the sky over the lake. "What exactly are they doing?" she asked squinting up as someone, yet again, leaned out over the side.

"Trying to make a more complete map of all the waterways I believe? To see how they all connect. Local farmers want to use an area for more rice paddies so that's part of it as well. Looking at where all the rivers and wetlands are so they can figure out the best way to work with the land," Alistair observed. She distantly noticed that Akairo and Ginouji had come back out of the water. Ginouji was swallowing the other half of a fish he had caught while his brother looked up at the balloon and hummed unhappily.

At first Alistair thought they had come out of the water because they didn't like the weather balloon hanging over them, no matter how high it was, but then Ginouji spoke up. He didn't speak verbally but instead gave a thrum from deep in his chest along with a half spread of his wings.

_Something's wrong._

Akairo let out a puff of air from his nose as he stared up at it.

_I agree._

Rain put her hands over her eyes as she looked up as well. Alistair had just stood up and stepped away from her canvas when there was an audible snap and one side of the balloon sagged alarmingly. One person scrambled to hold on while the person who had been leaning too far out lurched forward. They grabbed onto the edge at the last second but now they were hanging onto the side and were one sudden shift away from losing their grip and falling. From the water Seiva and Shurika lifted their heads up to watch.

"They're going to fall out!" Rain said in alarm. The balloon wasn't incredible high up but it was still high enough that anyone who fell was going to get serious injuries from slamming into the water.

Alistair's heart jumped up into her throat as Akairo and Ginouji hissed and took a step back their wings spreading in alarm.

Their wings.

There was another snap as one of the two support ropes on the front of the basket snapped in addition to the already loose one in the back. Supplies tumbled out or drifted slowly down. The person hanging out let out a faint scream as they nearly lost their grip. Scrabbling for purchase as the basket rocked back and forth.

"Akairo! Ginouji!" Alistair said sharply to grab their attention. Both of them swiveled their heads back to look at her.

"Those people," Alistair pointed up towards the balloon, "Don't have wings like you do. So both of them are going to fall and when they do they'll go into the water and get hurt. Hurt really, really bad," she explained to them. "Can you fly up and catch them?" she made sure her tone of voice clearly indicated to them that it was a question, not a command. They looked at each other and then back up at the balloon.

"Flyy?" Ginouji asked hesitantly. Akairo turned to his brother and puffed himself up and grunted confidently but it the way his wings shivered for a moment betrayed his nerves.

"We fyy. Hep huuumans. Brinnng back sif," Akairo said firmly.

"Go! Hurry!" Alistair directed. Ginouji hesitated clearly feeling anxious now. Akairo was the first to go and he ran across the sand pushing off with an awkward series of jumps and hops before leaping into the air with a strong downward push of his wings. Ginouji quickly ran after him jumping once and lifting off into the air. It didn't take long for them to fly up towards the balloon.

Thankfully in addition to their gliding practice they had been practicing hovering as well. They only hovered a few feet off the ground but now Alistair was happy Jasper had them practice that as well as she watched Akairo approach and hover by the person hanging off the edge.

It took several long seconds before Akairo realized the person couldn't just grab onto him. Reaching out with his feet, Akairo awkwardly grabbed the person. Although it took a second longer for Akairo to fly backwards and peel their grip off the side of the basket. Once they were in his grip he almost immediately dropped farther down in the sky. They may be more then strong enough for flight but carrying something while flying was a skill they had yet to master. He managed to stay up and hovered a bit longer before tilting his body, diving forward and leveling out into a wobbly flight path that was taking him in a wide circle back to shore.

Ginouji was imitating his brother's idea and hovering next to the other person in the basket. They quickly seized the opportunity and and reached out grabbing onto his neck. Ginouji flew back as a third support rope snapped and the basket dropped hanging from a single thread as the remaining contents were dumped into the water below. Unimpeded the balloon drifted up higher into the sky as Ginouji started his own flight back towards the shore although with less wobble then Akairo who was almost back.

"They did it," Rain said in relief as Akairo came into land.

Akairo pulled up and hovered above the waterline. He looked down at the man clutched in his talons and hummed curiously before dropping the short distance down to the sand. Akairo let go to plant one foot on the ground while still holding the man and flapping his wings around so as not to crush him. Ginouji pulled up and planted his feet, skidding across the water and sand until he came to a quick stop. They definitely had a ways to go before either one could be called a king of the sky. But for their first flight it was pretty good.

The woman let go of Ginouji's neck and dropped down to the sand where she laid back and put an arm over her eyes. When Ginouji thrummed and nudge her with his nose she giggled and then burst into nervous and relieved laughter. Ginouji hummed and backed up, throwing Alistair an uncertain look as she hurried over and hugged his neck tightly in reassurance.

"She'll be okay, she's just really happy to be safe on the ground," Alistair told him. "You and Akairo did so well. I'm so proud of you," she said and Ginouji rumbled deep in his chest, pleased by that.

"We feww! Flew? Flew. Flew up and hepped peppel... peeeepole?" Ginouji said correcting himself when he got the words wrong.

It was only in the past few months that they had truly realized what they were, rathalos, and that they were different from humans, wyverians, and felynes. For weeks afterwards Alistair and Rain's ears had been filled with them saying "people" as best they could at every single opportunity. Along with "rath-lows" which was the best they had been able to make of rathalos although they generally just called other rathalos or rathian "big wings." Alistair wondered if parents had to deal with that same aggravation when their kids learned a new word for the first time.

"You did fly. You flew up so well," Alistair said. She looked over to see Rain calming and reassuring Akairo who looked more then a little shaken. Both of them did despite all the confidence and impatience they had been showing so far when it came to flying.

Technically speaking all the gliding and hovering practice they had been doing more then qualified as flying in Alistair's mind but she wasn't going to ruin their big moment.

"Saff? Saafe? Not urt?" Ginouji asked as he peered down at the woman still lying in the sand giggling in relief.

"I'm safe! I'm okay. I just... wow I actually flew on a rathalos! Everyone at the weather institute is going to be so jealous when they find out about this," she said sounding both excited and shaken.

"She'll be okay. I can see the healer coming now to take a look at her. Why don't we see how your brother is?" Alistair suggested. That pulled his attention away and he eagerly hurried over to his brother letting his head rest across his shoulders and humming to him in assurance.

"Fyy saff? No one uurt?" Akairo asked softly.

"No urt. Ahh good. Allll good," Ginouji responded. "Brother flew up firt. Firsst. Prrd. Prrrroowd of brother," he added warmly. Akairo perked up at that expression of pride.

"We'll wait around to see if they're both okay and then we'll go home. I think this has been enough excitement for all of us," Rain suggest.

Alistair nodded in agreement and glanced over at her painting. It had been knocked over and was covered in sand now ruining it. Oh well, at least Ginouji and Akairo were safe along with the two researchers. She was so proud of how far they had come together.

"Never a dull moment is there?" Alistair said with a small sigh. Rain laughed as Seiva and Shurika came up out of the water to join in and take a closer look at all the excitement.

"Oh don't worry. It's only going to get better from here."

* * *


	15. Dangerous Horizons

"You okay?" Rain asked.

"What? I'm fine, just nervous about tomorrow. I know Ginouji and Akairo have already flown but..." Alistair stopped and rubbed her arms. Her parents had arrived late today and were sleeping in the guest room. She lowered her voice and continued. "I mean I know they flew two days ago to rescue those researchers at the lake but it's going to be different tomorrow. Not to mention a crowd is going to be watching."

"Why don't you go out and spend some time with them tonight? I'm sure it will help and you might be able to let me get some sleep without you tossing and turning all night worrying about them," Rain said, only half teasing. Alistair rolled her eyes but wrapped her arms around Rain in a hug anyway.

"Everything is going to be fine tomorrow. Aside from some happy tears of course," Rain murmured.

"I think I've already got the happy tears and the nostalgic tears covered. They really aren't babies anymore are they?" Alistair asked as Rain let her chin rest on top of her head.

"Unfortunately no. But think of how proud you'll be watching them tomorrow," Rain assured her before Alistair pulled back.

"You don't have to wait up. I promise not to take too long," Alistair told her. It was already late and she really needed to get whatever sleep she could before the big day tomorrow.

"And you know I always wait up for you anyway," Rain said giving her a kiss before letting her go. Alistair's heart warmed at that and she watched Rain yawn and shuffle off down the hallway before grabbing her own slippers and heading out the door.

Ginouji and Akairo were only a short walk away, she could see them clearly from the front porch with as much moonlight as there was. She headed across to them through the trees and smiled as she heard a welcoming hum from both of them as she approached.

"I just wanted to see how both of you were doing before the big day tomorrow," Alistair said as she walked up. She gave her usual hugs and kisses to both of them before they settled down.

Alistair turned to Akairo and watched as his eyes drifted off as if in thought. She touched him lightly under the chin and he shifted closer to her with a high pitched whine. It was a distinct sound of distress that she recognized from when he was a baby but he hadn't made it in well over a year. Lately she had noticed him acting differently but she hadn't pressed him on it. Neither he nor Ginouji had ever hidden anything from her and she hoped they wouldn't now either.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Alistair asked as she wrapped her arms around his head. Akairo closed his eyes and his body relaxed with a low rumble. Next to him Ginouji lifted his head and let it rest across his back.

"Out wif brrroother. Saw rath-loooos. Dead. Lnng. Loonng seep," he said quietly. Alistair tried not to let her surprise show. This was the first time she was hearing about this. It must have been some of the local Guild hunters who killed it. She held him tighter as he shivered against her. "Scared. Scared get huurrt. Know ummans. Huuuumans. Stay wif huumans. Lovveee mmma. Lovve Rain," Akairo said to her.

"What bad huuumans come? Like Stooorrrm. Like Sakala. Fight is bad," he continued in distress. Alistair kissed him and held him tight while she thought about what he had just told her.

They had come across a dead rathalos and the sight of it was bothering him in a way that it wasn't with Ginouji who had seemed the same as usual lately. Akairo knew humans and had lived among them for all his life so far. He understood that he and Ginouji were different from her and Rain but he still loved them deeply. But as much as he loved her he knew there were bad people out there. Like Narane who may be dead in the ocean or who may have escaped alive somehow in the confusion. Bad people like her had gotten Storm and Sakala killed.

What if bad people came after him? Akairo and Ginouji had both been raised not to bite or hurt other people and not to kill unless it was for food. But Alistair had fallen short when it came to teaching them self defense. She couldn't protect them forever. The more they grew the more independent they would be. Even if they never left her they would still establish their own territories here and wander around more instead of sticking close to the house. They needed to be prepared and so far she was failing them.

"Its okay to be scared. No one wants to get hurt and I don't want to see you two get hurt either," Alistair assured them. "You remember what I told you when you first started to hunt on your own?" she asked them.

"Kill forr food. Not fuun," Ginouji replied.

"Member awwways," Akairo promised urgently.

"I know you have," Alistair said gently, "But I should also have been teaching you something else. Something really, really important. You never hurt humans, _unless_ its to protect yourself," she said firmly. This was met by curious grunts from both of them.

"If we were in town and someone kept bothering you and you didn't like it what would you do?" Alistair asked. She wanted to get them to think, not just rigidly follow whatever she said.

"Mmoove? Wrrrn... warn?" Akairo asked.

"Flly way," Ginouji suggested.

"That's right. You could move or warn them to stay back. Maybe even fly away if they kept it up. But what if you were out alone or together and surprised a hunter? One who didn't know you? What if they attacked? Tried to kill you?" Alistair said even though it made her heart tighten saying it. Now both of them were silent but Alistair wasn't going to give them any hints.

"Fight back? Like Seiva? Like Shurka wif Storrrm?" Ginouji asked, still not quite able to pronounce Shurika's name correctly.

"That's right. You've never seen them fight anyone have you? They never hurt anyone back by the big water and they've never hurt anyone here have they?" Alistair continued. They were on the right track she just needed to keep them on it.

"Shurka kep Rain ssaffe. Kill huumans," Akairo said softly his eyes looking up at her since she was still cradling his now huge head in her arms.

"She did but she only did it when Rain's life was in danger. Just like she only tried to kill that bad woman Narane when Storm's life was in danger. All the monsters I've killed were only when they put someone in danger. When someone might get hurt or if they attacked me," Alistair told them.

"People know that I raised you. That you've spent time around humans. They might try to use that to hurt you. To lie to you. Tell you bad things that aren't true or take you away from me. You need to be ready to protect yourself. Like the monsters you hunt protect themselves," Alistair explained.

"Learn how fight?" Ginouji asked. "Be rrrdy if bad huumans come? Like Seiva? Like Shurka?" he added excitedly.

"Yes. You'll learn how to fight. Both of you. So if the time comes, you'll know how to protect yourself _and_ protect other humans. Like those people you flew up and helped land safely a few suns ago," Alistair said. That she noticed, attracted Akairo's attention the most.

"Tect... prrrtect huumans? Keep safe?" Akairo asked hopefully and his tone made Alistair's heart ache.

There were many times when Alistair had thought about the invitation Amai had gotten and the training she was now receiving. Training that would help her to protect others in ways that being a hunter alone couldn't. Alistair had thought often about whether she should have gone as well but she wouldn't trade her life now with Rain for anything.

Still there were things she _could_ do. Things she should have been doing already.

"Yes. I'm going to show you how to fight so you can protect yourself and keep others safe. But that will have to come after tomorrow. Sometimes the best way to stay safe is to fly away where they can't find you," Alistair told them. Akairo finally settled down at that, nuzzling her once more before pulling his head away.

Alistair got up and hugged both of them before heading back to the house. Once there she quietly closed the door behind her and had just shut off all the lights when she paused. She couldn't remember if she had taken her medication already or not. Maybe Rain would know.

She headed down the hallway and peeked in the bedroom to see that Rain, despite what appeared to be a valiant attempt, was sitting back against the headboard fast asleep. Oh well. She might risk increased anxiety tomorrow if it turned out she hadn't taken them, but the dangers of doubling up on her medication by accident were far worse.

Alistair took her slippers off and walked around to the other side. She dimmed the lamp on Rain's side and made sure the window was locked before closing the curtain. She returned to her side of the bed and slid in under the covers, smiling briefly as Rain snorted awake and mumbled tiredly before changing to a more comfortable sleeping position.

Tomorrow was going to be a big day. Hopefully one that wouldn't result in any more anxiety then she was already feeling.

* * *

"Is this really necessary?" Amai asked even as one of the instructors tightened the blindfold over her eyes.

"Quiet. You're supposed to have a head injury and be unconscious," Instructor Asha told her.

"Yes, ma'am," Amai couldn't resist saying as she was guided down to lay back on the forest floor.

"Keep in mind that I will be watching you from nearby so don't worry about any beasts that wander by. I'll intervene well before something dangerous happens all right?" Asha explained. Amai nodded and settled back to wait.

It had been a crazy and amazing year of hard work and learning. Now they were moving from classroom and books to practical application and training. All around the forest other students of all ages would be in similar situations either alone or in groups. Kurohana would be up in a tree somewhere while Shirakawa was on the banks of the lake farther away.

The purpose of this exercise was to see if their non human partners could find them. The current scenario involved a student faking an injury that left them unable to move or in some cases barely conscious or completely out like with Amai who had a "moderate head injury" according to the card she had pulled in class. In such a situation would their monster be able to find them, help them, and then get them back to safety all on their own?

Amai had been confident before but not that she was actually out here waiting and blindfolded her nerves were getting the better of her. She knew that an instructor was nearby but she still felt alone. She wasn't sure how much time passed before a distant boom signaled the start of the test.

Amai sighed and tried to relax against the ground but her thoughts kept bouncing back and forth. What if they failed? What if Raiden couldn't find her?

_What if you stop worrying and trust him?_ Amai scolded herself. She had played hide and seek with Raiden ever since he was a puppy. Play was an important part of how monsters learned and developed after all. At about six months old Raiden had learned that by sending out thunderbugs into the surrounding area he could use the electrical signals they sent back to him to figure out where she was much faster. Even though part of her considered that cheating, Amai had praised him and given him treats for it which encouraged him to continue doing it.

Amai had been working to cultivate and expand on that skill but she had never had to put it to the test like this before. She had never been this far apart from him before and every time he went hunting she was there to help teach or guide him as he tracked down prey. But Raiden was a fully grown adult zinogre now. He would already have wandered away from his home territory and been living on his own for a couple months at least if he was wild.

She didn't know how long it took but finally she felt something land on her left arm. Amai twitched and was about to shoo the insect away when she felt a buzz and a small tingle of electricity. Not enough to hurt but enough to make the hair on her arm stand up.

Raiden.

Amai smiled as she felt what must have been a thunderbug take off again. She wasn't sure how much time passed but it didn't feel like too long before she heard the sound of huge footsteps crashing through the trees.

It came closer and the footsteps stopped. A second later Amai felt a monster's nose sniffing at her. Raiden had found her after all. She couldn't be more proud of him but she couldn't say anything or respond. He had to figure out what to do next on his own.

Raiden nudged her lightly and then harder, then a rougher shove and a growl like when he needed to wake her up. Amai gave an exaggerated moan like she was in pain. He whined and nuzzled her in response growling to himself when she still failed to get up. She could hear him pacing around, possibly looking around.

When he came back she felt him lean down and tried not to wrinkle her nose as a blast of his breath washed over her. Sharp fangs settled on each side of her as Raiden picked her up in his jaws. She had seen him tear through flesh and crunch bones with these same teeth but now he cradled her gently and turned around. He leaped forward and went crashing back through the trees. It felt like he was keeping his head down instead of up as Amai only felt the occasional whack of leaves on her body.

Even with his huge stride eating up the ground it still took a while before she felt him slow down and come to a stop. He put her down gently and then howled loudly.

Amai felt hands on her and her blindfold was removed. Blinking at the sudden light she saw one of the medics looking down at her with a smile.

"Great job. Looks like you and your zinogre pass the test," he said warmly. Amai let out a sigh of relief only to jerk forward as Raiden bumped her from behind.

"No worries big guy I'm okay!" Amai assured him as the medic helped her back to her feet. She turned and hugged Raiden's huge neck, rubbing him affectionately. "You found me!" Amai said happily and his worried fidgeting changed to happy rumbles as he recognized the phrase and realized he had done well.

"I'll get you checked in. You're free to go or wait here for the others to arrive," the medic told her. Amai thanked him over her shoulder but continued lavishing Raiden with attention. When he had finally had enough and laid down, Amai allowed herself to look around. She wasn't the first one back. Marcus and Grimm were standing around already settled as if they had been here awhile and Obake was circling around overhead to land with Kurohana clutched in his talons.

Amai gave Raiden a final kiss on the cheek and went over to Kurohana who was now being helped up by a medic. She could hear Raiden trailing along behind her. Kuro dusted herself off and bowed to the medic in thanks as Amai approached.

"Looks like you two got back pretty quickly. How did it go?" Amai asked after the medic had left.

"Fairly easy. Obake has excellent vision and color sight. It was no problem for him to find me. I would like to try another test with myself on the ground instead of in a tree. With more dense covering it will be harder for him to spot me. It would be a better test of his skills," Kurohana stated as she pet Obake affectionately. "How about you? I see you two wasted no time returning as well," she added curiously.

Time, patience, and willingness to keep reaching out had turned Kurohana from a wary acquaintance to a close friend who was practically a sister to Amai now.

"Raiden and I have been practicing hide and seek since he was six months old. He's learned that he can use his thunderbugs to find out where I am easily. I was still worried initially but I turns out I was just getting myself worked up over nothing," Amai said proudly looking up at Raiden who was greeting Obake with a gentle nose touch.

"Hmm I've heard Marcus speak of a cave in the nearby mountains that affects electrical currents in the immediate area. Perhaps you could use that as a greater test of Raiden's skills in the future," Kuro suggested.

"Really? I'll have to check it out then," Amai said waving to Marcus as he looked up from the notepad he was writing in. He perked up and set his things aside before heading over.

"Whoa you okay?" Amai asked seeing his dark brown skin and his clothes dripping with water. His dreadlocks were almost dry already.

"What? Oh the water? I'm fine," Marcus said waving them off. "See Grimm over there?" he pointed to the now fully mature Great Jaggi who had a few smaller jaggi laying down around him. "He's picked up some... followers from around the forest as you already know. They lost the Great Jaggi they used to follow so now they've all just copied what Grimm does. So when it comes to obedience he pretty much trained them on his own. But I figured if those jaggi were going to hang around then I might as well see if I could formally train them as well," Marcus explained.

"Problem is that Great Jaggi use the smaller males as scouts and they already know this forest inside and out. So the trainers had to make it more interesting and more difficult. That's how I found myself lying holding onto a log in the middle of the lake after a 'flash flood' swept me away," he added using air quotes.

"Can Great Jaggi swim?" Kurohana asked in surprise.

"Evidently, because Grimm went plunging into the lake after me himself after the scout males spotted me and ran back to tell him. Pushed the log back to shore. Picked me up like a sack of meat and hauled me back here. Got a face full of branches as well but you can't have everything I guess," Marcus said with a shrug. It was easy to see just how proud he was though. All of them were.

"It finally feels real doesn't it? What we're doing here? I mean sure I've been excited to learn but today, finally be able to put our training to the test... it makes me that much more excited to go out in the field," Marcus continued.

"In three months we'll be doing live searches and then live rescues on others. There will be little room for error. Its good to see students doing so well already," Kurohana stated looking over as Baburu came sliding up to the clearing next to the school with Shirakawa draped over his back. Behind him a rathian was walking up as well with her partner resting across her shoulders.

"Come on, they have snacks and drinks set up back by the doorway. We should grab some before everyone else does," Marcus said with a grin. Amai wouldn't object to that at all.

"I'll... be there in a second," Amai said and Kurohana gave her a knowing look before walking off with Marcus following after her. Shirakawa was talking with the medic when she walked over to him.

Baburu lowered his head for a pet as Amai waited for Shiro to finish. When he was done he didn't look happy.

"What's wrong?" Amai asked.

"Baburu got spooked on the way back. He knows this area well enough by now but he deliberately took a long way back. Winding through the forest and constantly checking our surroundings. I think he sensed a monster out there and not one of the ones he knows from here," Shiro said in concern. "I told the medic but I'm not sure what they'll do. Even if everything goes well with the other students the trainers who escorted us out initially are going to be the last ones back and they'll be doing it on foot," he pointed out

Amai immediately thought of several things she could do but it wasn't her decision. Shiro must have seen her face because he gave her a sympathetic look.

"I'd like to go back out and make sure nothing is getting too close as well but that's up to the teachers. Until they decide we just have to wait," he said with a heavy sigh.

"Well lets not sit around moping then. Lets grab some refreshments and see what happens. If they do need us then at least we won't have to go back out on an empty stomach," Amai suggested.

Shiro nodded and fell into step with her.

"Do you think its the deviljho? Baburu is pretty big and so far he hasn't seemed like the type to spook easily. The only time I've seen him shy away is around Jawbreaker but she scares everyone," Amai said quietly.

Jawbreaker was a giant Glavenus, an extremely rare brute wyvern that Amai had never heard of until coming here. She was also currently the biggest monster at the school. Thankfully Jawbreaker's partner was a shy petite young woman from a distant island who wouldn't hurt a fly. Unlike some of the other students who tried to use their monsters to throw their weight around.

"It certainly could be. Its definitely the most dangerous monster we've yet to see in this biome. Not including those we've seen just passing through. I hope its not the deviljho from before but whatever it is we'll have to keep on our toes," Shiro said looking up as a thunder element halk flew in, a message attached to its leg.

Amai watched as a medic took the message and read it quickly a worried look on her face.

_I really hope everyone gets back safely,_ Amai thought watching as the medic ran back to the others and showed them the slip of parchment.

* * *

Alistair definitely hadn't taken her medication last night and it was starting to show.

"You okay?" Rain asked softly, her eyes filled with concern.

"I couldn't remember if I had already taken my meds last night so I skipped it after coming back in before bed," Alistair explained wearily. Her nerves were already on edge because of anticipation over today but now they were fried and even the tiny crowd gathered here was starting to make her nervous. Thankfully her parents were too busy talking. They had met the people living beside the house they were thinking of buying and had hit it off right away.

Rain pulled her in close and kept an arm around her waist.

"I know its difficult but I'm glad you decided not to risk it," Rain told her. "Do you think you can make it? Or do you want to go back?" she said as Akairo looked back at them. Ginouji noticed as well and as expected it wasn't long before both of them were hovering in front of her.

"Mmma avve bad day? Want go bbbaack?" Akairo rumbled to her and Ginouji rumbled in agreement. Alistair's heart swelled with love for them. Both of them had been looking forward to this since they first realized they could fly someday. Now they were ready to turn right back around and wait if she couldn't handle it.

"I'll be okay. Just get up there and show us how well you can fly," Alistair said putting on a brave face. Both of them were clearly not convinced but they didn't argue with her.

They went back to the cliffs edge with Ginouji in the lead drawing everyone's attention again. Another crowd was down below on the beach watching and waiting to see the rathalos they had come to recognize take their first, official, flight.

Ginouji flapped his mighty wings a few times before running forward and leaping off. Ginouji rose up into the air steadily and turned to fly around in a slow circle. He roared triumphantly and Akairo called back. Backing up Akairo extended his own wings and ran forward, taking off and rising up into the sky after his brother. Both of them circled around before heading a bit farther off making a route above the town and then around over the lake and where Alistair and Rain were before doing it again.

Even if Alistair's nerves were shot today, she couldn't help but be proud of them and of how much they had grown.

"Maybe one day soon we'll be up there flying with them," Rain said as they watched Akairo and Ginouji soaring around.

"You? Up off the ground?" Alistair said in surprise. She was grateful for the distraction.

"You don't think I'm just going to kick back on the ground and let you try flying all by yourself do you? The thought scares me but not as much as you being up there alone. Anxious wyvern children not withstanding," Rain said pointedly. The idea of all of them being up there together with her was pretty appealing.

"I'll make sure our first flight has plenty of safety straps and fail safes," Alistair assured her.

"That would be appreciated," Rain said as her eyes drifted away past Alistair. She turned to follow Rain's gaze to a woman standing back but detached from the crowd. She was badly scarred with a wide brimmed hat that did little to cover the terrible burns on the right side of her face and arm. Her clothing was worn and patched and her sandals simple. She had simple forearm crutches with a simple cloth band holding them to her trembling arms. She seemed like someone of little means materially and Alistair felt a pang of sympathy for her.

"Is... something wrong?" Alistair asked as she took note of how Rain was looking at her.

"No I..." Rain stopped and frowned slightly. "I've seen her around before. The villagers say she just showed up off a caravan one day. Apparently she was in an accident and can't remember where she came from. Seems terrified of the water for some reason she can't remember. They always make sure she has what she needs whether its food, clothing or a place to stay. I've paid to have food delivered to her myself. Its just that... she reminded me of someone for a second, but I guess it was just my imagination," she said with a shake of her head. Alistair looked at the woman but couldn't see any resemblances.

"Hey! Here they come!" Rain said and Alistair tore her attention back to Akairo and Ginouji who were indeed coming back in to land already. Probably cutting their flight short because of her. Still they would be sure to celebrate after this. Privately.

Alistair glanced back at the woman as she stared up at the sky in rapt fascination but still nothing in her mind tingled at the sight of her.

It wouldn't be until much later that night that Alistair would finally realize that the woman's burns were not from fire, but electricity.


	16. Echos of the Past

Rain frowned slightly as she watched Alistair eat. They were sitting on the porch enjoying a celebratory meal after Akairo and Raiden's flight. Both of them had gotten a slow roasted and seasoned aptonoth to eat while Quake got a special fruit and veggie salad all to himself. Rain had cooked up some fish and while Alistair had ate plenty after being exhausted from the stress of today but she was now hesitating with the wildberry pie her mom had made. That wasn't normal.

"What's wrong?" Rain asked gently when she saw Alistair continuing to poke at her untouched pie. She didn't answer immediately so Rain waited until Alistair glanced over at her and then back down at her dessert. Sighing heavily she put it down on the table between them and shook her head.

"I don't know I... I'm worried I'm just seeing things. Making something out of nothing because I'm already so anxious and nervous from missing my medication last night," Alistair confessed.

"Maybe you are but I want to hear about it anyway. At least then you'll get it out of your head however things turn out," Rain told her. Alistair sighed and played with a curl of hair by her ear for a moment before letting her hands drop and wiping them on her pants.

"That woman who was there earlier at the flight? The one with the scars who can't remember where she came from?" Alistair began. Rain nodded and watched as Alistair fidgeted before continuing. "I was thinking about it just now and I realized that those burns... they weren't scars from a fire... they were electrical burns," she confessed. Her eyes darted up to Rain's again before sliding away.

"You said earlier that she was afraid, no terrified you said, of the water but can't remember why. Its clear she doesn't have much money and she seems to have just showed up out of nowhere. Wandering around," Alistair reminded her. "You already know what happened to me when I was put through electroconvulsive treatment. That was a medical procedure and you saw how long it took for my memory to come back after I reacted badly to it. If a person was deliberately hurt... attacked even by a large monster that uses electricity then it could easily cause permanent brain damage or permanent memory loss," she said and fell silent.

Rain didn't need to her to continue. She knew what Alistair was implying and what conclusion her thoughts had led her to.

"You think... it might be Narane?" Rain asked not even wanting to say the name. Narane and her brother had conspired to kill Storm. He had been killed along with Storm but Narane's body was never recovered. Their younger sister had been charged as well and all of their finances and assets had been seized by the Guild.

Alistair picked at her nails silently. Rain rubbed her face wearily and considered that. Time and effort had eased the pain of Storm's passing but it would never go away completely.

"With that kind of electrical damage done to her body it would be impossible for her not to have some type of permanent damage mentally and physically. I saw the crutches she uses to walk around with and she stood and moved the same as other hunters I've met who have suffered nerve damage after a bad shock. Like she's always unsteady or off balance," Alistair added softly.

"So regardless of who she is she likely has permanent damage to her memory. Anything she can't remember already probably isn't coming back and what she does know could be affected also," Rain said feeling exhausted suddenly at the implication of it all.

"I'm sorry Rain," Alistair apologized.

"Hey come here," Rain urged. Alistair got up and came over to her, sliding into Rain's lap and resting against her. "This isn't your fault, okay?" she said wrapping her arms around Alistair. "I'm glad you told me instead of worrying about it alone. Really, I am," she promised.

"I know I just... you already do so much to take care of me. I hate having to put even more on your shoulders to deal with," Alistair said apologetically.

"You don't have to apologize for that. I knew what I was getting into when we got married and I don't regret any of it. You help support me just as much as I support you even if you don't realize it sometimes. I don't know if that woman is Narane but if she is then we'll deal with it together," Rain said firmly.

"Promise you won't go off and do something without talking to me about it first?" Alistair asked her.

"I promise. Now that I know I have to figure out if it really is her but from there... from there I don't know what to do," Rain confessed. Alistair wrapped her arms around her neck and Rain closed her eyes welcoming the reassurance and comfort.

"We'll figure this out one way or another," Alistair promised her.

* * *

Amai bounced her knees impatiently as she sat in the main attendance hall with the other students. A full day had passed and four of the instructors were still missing somewhere in the forest.

"I'm tired of all this waiting around!" Amai hissed through her teeth.

"Can't do much without more information to go on and so far they aren't giving us very much," Marcus pointed out from the row behind her.

"We could help gather more information if they would let us," Amai muttered in reply.

"You could also learn patience. Rushing in without the right information could make the problem worse or result in you taking twice as long to solve it," Kurohana said from her spot on the stone benches beside her. She didn't even bother to look up from her book.

"Yes teacher," Amai snarked back only to yelp when Kurohana smacked her lightly on the back of the head for the sarcastic reply.

"Is there something wrong up there?" the teacher down below asked them. Kurohana may have gotten to know Amai and Marcus but she still wasn't comfortable around other people and preferred the highest seats where she could sit with them or be alone.

"Nope! Sorry! I think something crawled on me!" Amai shouted back earning a few snickers from other students. She glared over at Kurohana who smirked at her in return.

"Aren't you supposed to be shy and quiet?" Amai said lowering her voice.

"I not shy I have social anxiety," Kurohana corrected her. "I may not be able to talk around strangers all the time but my hands work just find for smacking idiots," she added sweetly.

"You two act more like sisters now then my own siblings do," Marcus chuckled from behind them. Amai gave him a look over her shoulder.

"Are they ever actually going to make an announcement?" Amai wondered restlessly. "And where is Shiro?" she asked curiously.

"Taking care of Baburu. Something out there is stressing him out so Shiro is giving him some extra attention and grooming," Kurohana explained.

"Grimm has been sending out his jaggi minions to scout the area more often too in the past few days as well. Something is definitely out there," Marcus said as another instructor appeared on stage and whispered to one of the teachers before leaving again.

"Raiden hasn't changed his behavior much but he also grew up with two monsters who were far bigger and more powerful then he is and watched me fight others. With this many other hunters around he probably doesn't see much reason to worry," Amai considered.

"Obake has taken to sleeping higher up on the ruins but aside from that he hasn't seemed that worried. Granted he's bigger and can simply fly away if there's trouble. Not all the monsters here have that advantage," Kurohana added thoughtfully.

"Hey I think they might finally be making an announcement!" Marcus urged pointing past them to the stage below.

"Listen up everyone!" Instructor Hazen announced. His bald white head shined in the light as he stroked his long braided beard.

"As you no doubt know by now some of the instructors and teachers have gone missing after your first field test. We have reason to believe that a deviljho is in the area. We knew about its presence when we came and practiced for a scenario such as this. As experienced hunters all of them would have done their best to avoid contact and find a good place to hide without drawing it closer to the school," Hazen nodded to the tall black woman standing behind him, Instructor Izira and she unfurled a large map and tacked it up on the wall. Turning back Izira gave further instructions.

"This map shows a few such locations that were determined ahead of time to be good locations to hide in such an emergency. All of you know where they are and we will be sending you out in teams of four. One to search the skies for danger, one smaller monster as a scout and two bigger ones who can fight or drive off threats should the need arise," Izira explained.

"While we hope they were able to get to one of these areas we can't ignore the possibility that something happened to prevent them from arriving there safely. So your team will to head to the area where an instructor was last seen and search for clues there first. If you cannot pick up a trail or follow it further you will then proceed directly to one of these predetermined safety spots to see if they made it there. Do you understand?" Izira stated.

"Yes instructor!" the class called out to her.

"I will tell you which teams you're in and then Izira will give you the location of a safety spot to check as well as an instructor who was in that area. Come down and line up. Pay attention to who you get put with and meet up together to discuss a strategy _before_ you leave _not_ afterwards!" Hazen bellowed out to them.

Kurohana grimaced and rubbed her hands on her pant legs. A clear sign of nervousness. They had done team exercises before but always together. Not with other pre-determined teammates. Amai could already see her jaw clenching as her anxiety took over. She reached over and squeezed Kuro's hand reassuringly.

"Lets see who we get put with first and if there's a problem I can ask for you to be moved around," Amai suggested and Kurohana could only nod silently. They all headed down to the stage and waited at the back of the line to get their assignments. When they finally got up to Instructor Hazen he pointed to Marcus.

"Forward scout on the ground working with Amai, Lily and Teresa. Go get ready," Hazen instructed. Marcus thanked him and gave Amai and Kurohana a smile before heading off to his group. Hazen glanced around them checking that they were the last ones in line before leaning forward.

"Amai as I just said you'll be in a party with Lily and Teresa. Marcus will be your forward scout with Teresa in the air on her rathian. You and Lily with her glavenus will be on the offensive if necessary," he explained and Amai could feel Kurohana tense up beside her.

"Kurohana you'll be the air scout with Shirakawa as the ground scout since you'll be covering a wet area and may need to cross or head through rivers to get to where you need to be. Zander with his barroth and Grace with her duramboros will be the tanks," Hazen said and Kurohana visibly relaxed at the mention of her brother.

"We've been informed of your condition so if you ever need to work together with someone specific then just let us know all right? There are other students and monsters here dealing with problems or disabilities that have needed assistance or for a course to be adapted slightly. I can't promise that we'll be able to help every time but we'll do what we can when we can okay?" Hazen said reassuringly. Kurohana could silently bowed to him in gratitude.

While Hazen didn't name anyone specific the first person Amai thought of was Teresa. She was a white woman with light brown hair from the northeastern part of the continent. Teresa was blind in her left eye from a hunting injury while her rathian was born mostly deaf. They worked slower then some of the other partners but were far more thorough and most of all they were the team with the best cohesion and coordination. That cooperation and the confidence it inspired in each of them had gotten the pair past obstacles that had stopped others dead in their tracks.

"Is that pairing okay with the two of you?" Hazen asked and Kurohana just gave a jerky nod in assent. "Good. Make sure to find your brother and let him know. This may be a serious situation but that doesn't mean the learning is going to end. We still aren't sure how or if you'll be paired up when you pass this training course and are officially certified," he pointed out. "You may have to work with people you don't like, don't know, or who just work differently then you. You'll may also have to find ways to communicate past disabilities if the person giving you information is blind and can't give visual information or deaf and can't tell you what they heard. They may be disabled in other ways and can't show you around an unfamiliar area to help you get your bearings. There are also language barriers. Someone goes missing and you're the closest human, monster team available but don't know any of the local tongue," Hazen offered as an example.

"Writing, art, body language and more can all be used to communicate with someone if words don't work. You may run into that today. Especially if you run into a monster and have to end up fighting with three other monsters around you not including the target. You in particular Amai. If you encounter a strong monster by surprise you'll have to keep in mind that one of your teammates has a much narrower field of vision and her monster companion won't hear any warnings. How will you let them know what's going on if they've flown ahead and haven't checked to see what's happening on the ground behind them?" Hazen added. Kuro's brow furrowed thoughtfully at his words.

"Thank you instructor. We'll be sure to keep that in mind and try to come up with some signals to use before we set out," Amai said gratefully and Kuro nodded emphatically as well. They left and went to Instructor Izira who glanced at them before going back to the map on the wall.

"I've already talked to Marcus and Teresa. Amai the team you're with will be covering this area to the south-east. Open forest leading into the other ruins we deemed beyond recovery or repair. This spot is where you'll check first. About half a mile off the path that splits towards the mountain caves and the southern ruins," Izira told her pointing to the area on the map.

"The ruins down there didn't work for what we needed but they are still a designated safe area with plenty of spaces a human could hide in and remain safe. Check the area up here first and see if you can still pick up any clues or a trail. Any number of things could have happened or gone wrong. But if they aren't there and you can't get a definite read on which direction they went then head towards the ruins. All teams are to be back in by sundown," Izira added firmly.

"If you find the person you're looking for or believe you have reason to continue on then send your aerial scout back to let us know. All teams will have at least one. Learn to use them," she added in warning.

"Thank you ma'am," Amai said gratefully. She looked over at Kurohana and hesitated wondering if she should wait. Kuro saw her look and shook her head waving for her to go on ahead.

"I'll see you later then. You and Shiro be careful out there okay?" Amai told her and Kuro reached out to hug her tightly. A response for her to do the same.

"Me? I'm always careful," Amai said with a grin. Kurohana rolled her eyes before turning back to Izira for instructions.

Amai quickly headed to her room where she hastily put on her riding equipment. She let the goggles Kuro had made for her rest on top of her head and grabbed her earplugs. As she did so she paused and realized they could pose a problem.

These earplugs were not the ones that went in the ear like most hunters used. The ones she made covered her ears with soft cushions to muffle all sound. It would not only protect her from the thunderclap Raiden produced when using strong electrical attacks but also keep her safe from the vibrations and sound wave that came along with it. Being nearby when a powerful zinogre charged up or summoned lightning was dangerous enough. Being on its back was another matter entirely and the high quality earplugs supplied by the Guild weren't enough. The popped eardrum she got a couple months back proved that.

Instructor Hazen's words came back to mind and Amai frowned and let the large ear protection hang around her neck. Going into battle with one teammate who couldn't hear temporarily and a monster who was permanently deaf would require a lot of coordination.

"A Guild Scout must be able to adapt to different situations as best they can whether able or disabled. Whether such problems be temporary or permanent. Adapt when possible, ask for help when necessary. Hesitation on your part could cost someone their lives," Amai quietly recited the words she had learned. Words that had been drilled into all of them each day so far.

If they could adapt to handle a situation fine. If they couldn't and needed more help that too was fine but in either case they couldn't remain indecisive or the hesitation to do something could cost the person they were trying to find their lives. The same principle applied here.

Amai decided to keep them off as usual unless they ended up in battle. Hopefully they would be able to come up with some easy signals to use in the meantime in case such a situation developed. She grabbed her backpack and secured the strap around her waist. With that taken care of she was ready to go.

She just hoped they could find the missing instructor without messing everything up.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mira asked doubtfully. Alistair looked over at her mom who was standing there looking concerned.

"No, but Rain and I discussed it and this is what she decided to go with. I want to... I need to support her. She's already conflicted enough without me adding more pressure," Alistair answered.

"I can understand that. I hope everything works out for you dear," Mira said giving her a hug. Alistair watched as her mom and dad headed off into the village center. They were going to look around today at the few homes that were available as well as places where one could be built. Ginouji and Akairo were already busy with more flying lessons courtesy of Jasper and Alistair was grateful for that. Only Quake would be going with them. Some sun and warm sand would be just the kind of thing he loved.

Alistair walked over to Rain and stood at her side as she looked out over the sandy beach on the edge of the lake.

"You ready to do this?" Alistair asked gently.

"No but I... I have to know if it really is Narane and if so..." Rain trailed off as her hands twisted together anxiously. "Honestly I don't know. Let the Guild deal with it either way? But if she honestly can't remember anything from before do I still demand justice for what she did anyway?" Rain stopped again and rubbed her face wearily, "I would feel bad if she got convicted and had to sit in jail for a crime she can't even remember doing. Especially if... if she's not that person anymore. She wouldn't survive in jail. She's just barely managing to take care of herself now with help from the other villagers," she summed up.

"Its a unique situation. We don't know what the Guild would do but they don't always throw criminals in jail. Why don't we see how things turn out today," Alistair offered.

Rain nodded and took a deep breath. Together they walked down onto the beach towards a figure crawling around in the sand. It was the same woman as before. She had a basket nearby and was picking up seashells. Her crutches were laying nearby.

Behind them Quake snorted and Alistair glanced back to see him laying down in the sand for a quick nap just as she expected him to do. He was taking to his retirement rather nicely and would be fine until they were done. Alistair felt Rain hesitate before steeling herself and stepping forward.

"Excuse me!" Rain called out.

The woman looked up and pushed up the rim of her wide brimmed hat.

"Did you have a moment? I was hoping we could talk," Rain offered. The woman's expression brightened.

"I know you! You're that nice rich lady who always makes sure I get food baskets when I need them. Stuff that's not hard for me to eat or make. Others help but you always make sure I don't go hungry," she said brightly. Her voice was rough and coarse. Rain was obviously caught off guard.

"I... I was hoping to make a basket for you and your wife. My best one yet! One with seashells woven around the edges. I don't like going near the water but I really wanted to thank you for your help," she said. That's when Alistair looked closer and realized how badly her hands were shaking. Being this close to the lake must be terrifying for her but she still wanted to do something to thank Rain for her help.

"That flight yesterday was amazing. I've never seen rathalos that close before! Well... not that I remember," she added her smile slipping somewhat before it returned.

"That's... that would be... thank you," Rain said in awkward surprise. "What's your name?" she asked crouching down in the sand next to the woman who had turned to sit down next to her basket.

"I call myself Narane. I don't know if its really my name but it was etched onto the handle of a knife I had on me when I washed onshore. That what I was told anyway. I... I can't read. Not anymore at least," she answered hesitantly her eyes darting between them. Alistair could see Rain tense up at that.

"Do you know who I am?" Narane asked them.

"We might but you don't sound like that's something you want," Alistair pointed out. Narane looked down and played with the seashell in her hands.

"I don't remember anything from before I was pulled out of the water. I have dreams sometimes, memories maybe. A big sea monster is attacking me but I can't see what it is. Just... everything hurts," Narane said softly.

Rain glanced over and Alistair followed her gaze to see Shurika casually cruising along the surface with a fish in her mouth. Narane evidently hadn't made a connection between the lagiacrus and Rain yet. Seiva and Shurika likewise hadn't made a connection with Narane yet due to her injuries or she was simply beneath their notice. Its not like they would have much reason to pay attention to her and this was the first time Alistair had seen Narane on the beach.

"It sounds really sad. Like its crying out in pain even as it attacks me. I hear a woman's voice sometimes and see her hunting monsters but something about it feels... wrong," Narane answered uncomfortably.

Alistair heard a familiar greeting and glanced over to see Shurika swimming their way clearly intending to come up onto the beach and say hello. She sucked in a breath and looked back at Rain who followed her gaze. Rain's eyes widened and darted back to Narane. This could be bad if Shurika recognized her.

"Have you spoken to a doctor about this?" Rain asked hurriedly and Narane nodded.

"The nightmares started a few months after I was found. The doctor said that..." Narane stopped and her face flushed pink with embarrassment, "That with my am.. am... amnesia there was no way to be sure of what it meant. Said I had... had brain damage and might never remember what happened. Said I could just still be traumatized from what happened," she offered up and her hand went up to rub the side of her head self consciously.

"There's no need to be embarrassed about that. It sounds like you've been through a lot," Rain said with surprising gentleness. Narane didn't respond for a long moment.

"I don't know if I want to remember. I... I don't think I was a very good person. Not if those nightmares are true," Narane confessed and now her hands moved restlessly in her lap. "I don't want to remember hurting people or... or killing monsters. I... I just want to make my baskets and go home," she said earnestly.

There was a rumble and Alistair looked up to see Shurika sliding out of the water and walking towards them. Narane's eyes widened as Shurika walked up, towering over them. Rain quickly got to her feet and went to her. Shurika had been relaxed before but now she was hesitating and staring down at Narane intensely, her eyes narrowed in concentration.

_She does recognize her, but she isn't entirely sure,_ Alistair realized.

"Shurika we were just talking to this woman," Rain said firmly enough to pull Shurika's attention away. Only when the abyssal lagiacrus was focused on her did Rain speak again.

"This is Narane. Do you recognize her?" Rain asked and Shurika arched her neck, pulling her head back in a gesture that Alistair knew translated very loosely to "are you out of your mind?" But she didn't attack or start sending up sparks.

"She got hurt and was pulled out of the ocean. Her head was hurt really badly and she can't remember anything from before she was found. She doesn't remember or recognize anyone else either," Rain said and now Shurika hissed shortly through her teeth meaning "I understand" before lowering her head so she could get a closer look at Narane.

Narane meanwhile had frozen in place before the lagiacrus looming in front of her. When Shurika didn't move or otherwise act like she was going to attack, Narane took a deep breath and to everyone's surprise bowed as low as her body would allow.

"I'm so sorry!" Narane apologized. Shurika snorted and pulled her head back slightly unsure of what was happening.

"I don't remember anything from before. I don't know who I was or what kind of person I used to be if I was good or bad but I'm... I'm sorry if I hurt you or someone you care about. I'm sorry I can't make up for it and I'm sorry I don't remember it," Narane said into the sand. Silence fell between them until Shurika grunted and huffed. When no one moved she did it again.

"She wants you to stand up," Rain said coming out of her shock. Narane lifted her head up and fumbled for her crutches. Alistair wondered if she should help but Narane was already climbing, albeit very shakily, to her feet. Shurika jerked her head and grunted.

"She wants you to turn around," Rain translated now looking strangely at Shurika. Narane carefully and unsteadily turned around in a circle before glancing back up fearfully at the lagiacrus. Shurika stared at Narane for a long time before closing her eyes and sighing. She gave a higher pitched whine and chomped her jaws. Then Shurika snorted and looked away pointedly.

"Shurika says you're harmless now like a toothless hatchling. She has no reason to pay attention to you anymore. Put more literally she's saying that you're beneath her notice," Rain explained. Narane had gone from a powerful hunter who killed Shurika's family to a weak human who could barely stand up steadily in front of her. For the abyssal lagiacrus that was evidently justice enough.

"Then I did hurt someone? Someone you know? Or a monster?" Narane asked softly as she bowed her head again. Rain hesitated and Shurika bumped her shoulder waiting to see how she would respond.

"You really don't remember do you? None of us are familiar to you?" Rain asked her voice thick with emotion. Narane kept her eyes down as she shook her head.

"I'm sorry. I can't remember anything," Narane apologized again. Alistair moved closer to Rain for support. Whatever happened next was up to her.

"I wasn't sure what I was going to do when I came here and honestly I still don't. But one thing I do know is that Shurika is right. You aren't a threat to anyone. Not anymore, not like before," Rain said quietly. Then to Alistair's surprise Rain said, "Do you need help getting back?" Narane hesitated looking between them all before nodding hesitantly.

"If... if you can. I could use help carrying the basket back home. I don't have much but I have some tea if you want it," Narane offered hesitantly. Alistair looked at Rain and raised her eyebrows.

"Would you mind talking some more? I still have more questions I want answered," Rain countered and Narane nodded quickly nearly wobbling off one of her crutches in the process.

"I don't know if I'll be of much help but... but I'll tell you whatever I can. And then... then you can decide what to do from there. I won't resist if you decide to tell the... the people in charge here about what I've done," Narane said earnestly and Alistair could tell she meant it.

"We'll be back in a moment," Rain said and Alistair followed along as they left and headed back towards Quake. It was only when they were back and Narane hidden by Shurika's body that Rain stopped and covered her eyes.

"She honestly doesn't know what she did and she still didn't hesitate to let me go to the authorities and turn her in. She doesn't remember who she was and now... now she's unsteady on her feet and has trouble just keeping her balance. She can barely manage to walk holding a basket with her crutches. She'd never be able to lift a weapon. I can't ignore what she did but..." Rain stopped her voice choked with emotion.

"But she's not a hunter out harassing people anymore. She's a poor woman whose barely surviving on her own and needs help from others to get by. She's not a threat anymore. If anything she's in danger of being taken advantage of because she can't fight back,' Alistair said and Rain nodded and wiped the tears away from her cheeks.

"Part of me does want her locked away for killing Storm. It would be what she deserves after what she did. But the other part... the other part just feels bad for her. She's harmless and disabled and there's nothing more she can do. She'll suffer enough as it is. I finally found out what happened to her but I just feel more conflicted then ever," Rain choked out.

Alistair put her arms around Rain's neck and pulled her closer to comfort her as best she could.

"I don't know what to do about this either but we'll figure it out okay? We're in this together," Alistair murmured holding Rain as she cried.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to all who have read and left kudos! This chapter officially brings this story into sync with fanfiction so from now on new chapters will be posted to both websites on the same day.
> 
> Also for those who may have missed it there's a new Monster Hunter game coming to PC, Playstation 4 and Xbox One early next year with an international release! I can't wait to play it!


	17. Past Grudges

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long to get this posted. The reason for it is that I just did a revision of specific chapters in A Mother's Love, the first part of this series. I made story changes to chapters 12, 13, 14, 18 and 24. TLDR  less homophobia, more new/changed backstory on Rain's interactions with Narane, more depth on why so many in Tanzia disliked her, and changed the reactions with Rain's stepmother Ramona. So if things seem different in this chapter from what I had before that's because it is.
> 
> Again sorry about the delay and I hope you all enjoy the chapter!

 

Amai chewed on one of her gloves as she waited for Teresa to return. They had found evidence that a deviljho was back in the area so Teresa had flown off to meet up with the other teams and see if they had found anything as well.

"There she is!" Marcus called out as a rathian flew overhead before doubling back to circle around and land. Teresa patted Jade's neck and slid down from the rathian's back.

"Anything?" Marcus asked. He was dying of curiosity like the rest of them. Lily meanwhile was perched on Jawbreaker's head while the glavenus kept watch. Not that most monsters in the area wanted anything to do with the giant and strange beast.

"I met up with Kurohana and then Mduza. Both agreed that one team already found instructor Fan and are bringing him back to the school. Fan reported hearing a deviljho in the area as he was heading back and went into hiding to be safe rather then risk leading it to the school," Teresa explained.

"Mduza's team confirmed sightings of deviljho tracks on the other side of the lake and are following a trail that heads to their marked sanctuary. Kurohana said they found tracks leading towards their designated sanctuary but then it gets chaotic, going all over the place before turning sharply to head this way," Teresa said. She let them think about that while she pulled off her eye patch before reaching into the bag strapped to her side. She grabbed a small container of lotion and smeared some of it over the left side of her face before replacing the eye patch.

"So instructor Gurash must have known the deviljho was around like the others did. He was trying to head toward a designated sanctuary. When it caught up with them and he had to run anywhere they could. When he couldn't lose it he tried coming this way instead," Amai determined as she side stepped a few mashed together footprints.

"There are two sets of human footprints here but no blood. Gurash must have ran into Ryda and they headed off together. The only problem is where?" Marcus asked as he kicked a tree branch away with his foot. "The jaggi scouts Grim sent went out in small groups instead of alone. That means there's something around that they're afraid of. That deviljho is still around so we'll have to be prepared and ready to fight," he pointed out.

Amai grimaced as she remembered the first run in they had with a deviljho on the way to the school. They may roam around but they were also highly aggressive. They only tolerated another of their kind when it was time to mate and barely even then.

"It must be the same one Marcus and I encountered before. Deviljho love to hold grudges and if it sees us its not going to let us get away like last time. We need to be ready to kill it," Amai warned them.

Deviljho could be found almost anywhere there was food to eat. Seeing them up in the frozen tundra and mountains was rare but not unheard of. The village hunters had to deal with a deviljho once and killed it by luring it into a nest of glacial agnaktor. The parents were furious at the sight of such a dangerous and ravenous monster and had been more then willing to fight to the death to make sure it never came back again to bother their eggs. Even still one of the hunters had nearly lost her arm during the ordeal.

Lily tapped Jawbreaker's head and the glavenus turned and came back to them. She lowered her head so Lily could talk without shouting down at them.

"We need to come up with a strategy for how to fight it then. Even if it doesn't hold up its still better then going in randomly throwing fire and electricity around," Lily pointed out. There was a lot of self confidence packed into her short body but she never came off as arrogant or pushy they way some students with large monster companions did.

"What do you suggest? If we do get into a fight then Jawbreaker and Raiden will be the ones at the forefront of it all. Raiden is more agile but you'll be able to hit harder especially with that tail. I don't want to get in the way," Amai said. Her eyes strayed over to Jawbreaker's giant tail and Lily noticed.

"Teresa or Marcus will likely spot it first. Grim and his scouts should grab its attention. If there's one thing jaggi are good at its being a distraction. Give Teresa and Jade time to get into position and attack from above. If you can knock it off balance that's great but your main role will be to poison it. The more the better but don't hang on any longer then you need to if you end up in a bad position where it can reach Jade," Lily instructed. Both of them nodded before Lily turned back to Amai.

"You'll be working with me so don't hold back. Once its poisoned Grimm and Jade should move out of the way so Raiden and I can come in. Jawbreaker will attack head on, and you from the sides or back. Use electrical attacks to stun or paralyze it. That's when Jawbreaker will go in for the kill with fire breath and tail explosions. A well placed tail attack to the head or neck should..." Lily stopped and cleared her throat. "Lets just say her tail is sharper then it looks," she said rubbing her neck. Amai grimaced and saw Marcus and Teresa do the same. No one asked her to clarify what she meant.

"Everyone have the colored smoke bombs?" Amai asked. They were a common tool among native nations back home and involved simple colored dye mixtures along with a chemical reaction that caused them to billow smoke for anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. Safer then fire in a forest like this, and much easier to spot from a distance in frozen mountain terrain. Here they were meant for Teresa, so she could easily tell what was wrong without having to land, and for Jade who wouldn't pick up on a verbal signal.

"Yellow for danger, red for immediate danger or a monster attacking, green if you find something important, and blue is for me to land and check in," Teresa said as everyone checked to make sure they still had some.

They were distracted by loud barks and calls and looked over to see Grimm's jaggi pack returning from different directions. Two of them immediately started bouncing up and down eagerly, clearly excited about something. The other two groups gathered around them and after chattering to each other they all took off through the forest once again.

"Looks like we have our trail to follow. I'll go ahead like before with Teresa scouting from the sky. That deviljho is definitely in this area and its only a matter of time before it hears the jaggi," Marcus pointed out as he mounted up on Grimm.

"Amai you go ahead on Raiden since you're faster. Jawbreaker and I will be right behind. Don't forget to use a smoke bomb if something does happen," Lily reminded everyone.

Amai checked all the straps before climbing up on Raiden's back and whistling for him to go. He wiggled his back to make sure she was secure before leaping into a run after Grimm who had already disappeared between the trees.

* * *

Red smoke trailing up towards the sky was the first sign of trouble that Amai saw. "Get ready to fight Raiden!" she yelled to him and he huffed in acknowledgement of her command, gathering electricity into his fur and body. A roar shattered the silence sending smaller creatures running and birds flying up into the sky for safety.

Overhead, Jade was circling around her eyes focused on something ahead of them. Another roar from behind signaled that Jawbreaker and Lily had spotted the red warning smoke as well.

Amai quickly pulled her ear protection up over her ears as Raiden charged into danger. He tensed up and she held on tightly as he dodged to the right as a broken tree shot by crashing behind them.

 _There it is,_ Amai thought as she spotted the deviljho already enraged and throwing trees and rocks at anything it saw moving. Grimm dodged between its heels and right out under its nose. The deviljho reared back in surprise before realizing what happened but that pause was enough for Teresa to get in place. Jade came screaming down from the sky and impaled her talons into the deviljho's back sending it crashing to the ground. It couldn't get up under the sudden weight allowing Jade to pump more and more poison into its body.

Teresa tapped Jade's back to signal her and the rathian let go and jumped up to fly away. Raiden rushed in as the deviljho got up body slamming it and discharging electricity before it could target Jade who was still trying to rise up higher in the air. Roaring furiously the devljho swelled with rage as red streaks appeared across its back. Amai knew what that meant and checked to make sure that Marcus and Grimm were already moving out of the way.

Amai tapped out the Evade command on Raiden's shoulder and got an answering buzz in response. The deviljho let loose a Dragon Breath attack in a wide sweep in front of itself, knocking down a few more trees in the process. Raiden hopped over it to the side and charged in slashing at the monsters face with a massive paw knocking the deviljho out of its enraged stated before it could use Dragon Breath again.

Heavy footfalls shook the ground behind them and Amai quickly glanced back relieved to see that it was only Jawbreaker and Lily catching up to them with Lily now settled on the glavenus back where she would be safer.

That caught the deviljho's attention immediately and Amai hurried to direct Raiden out of the way. He let off some irritated sparks at not being able to continue the fight but did as he was told backing away and watching the two larger beasts face off. This deviljho may have come across a wide variety of monsters in their wanderings but glavenus primarily lived on a remote island with a closed environment. It would never have encountered anything like Jawbreaker before.

Jawbreaker made a show of running her long tail between her jaws before letting go and slamming it into the ground causing an explosion of fire and sending dirt and rocks up into the air. She roared and stomped the ground ready and willing to fight. Deviljho generally thought with their stomachs and anger rather then their heads but now Amai could clearly see it hesitating in the face of such a strange beast.

Unfortunately a deviljho's anger generally outweighed its self preservation and common sense. The left side of its head was covered in blood and it was missing an eye from Raiden's earlier attack but it refused to back down. Roaring back in challenge the deviljho charged forward lunging in to bite.

Instead of backing up or meeting the attack, Jawbreaker rose up higher and took a big step backwards leaving the deviljho chomping the empty air under its neck. Jawbreaker pivoted in a circle lowering its front half and bringing her tail up. By the time the deviljho realized the danger it was in her tail was already slicing down through the air. There was a burst of fire and Amai grimaced and looked away as the explosion tore the deviljho's neck and head apart. She was no stranger to killing monsters and carving them up but she still didn't want to see that. She even felt Raiden shiver.

Amai pulled her ear protection off and tried to avoid staring at the deviljho's dead carcass as Jawbreaker calmly cleaned her tail off in some tall grass. Countless people and monsters had risked and lost their lives fighting deviljho and Lily had brought Jawbreaker in and finished it off in two moves.

"That was... wow. Gross but wow," Amai said as Raiden walked back over his posture a lot more submissive and respectful of Jawbreaker then before.

"Not my favorite thing to do believe me but deviljho don't know when to quit. We couldn't run the risk of it running away and coming back again to hurt someone. Plus a dead monster like that is hard to hide. Other monster's will find out about it and realize that another big predator is in the area. One big enough to kill a deviljho. Many of them will be a lot more cautious around the school from now on," Lily explained. She leaned forward and kissed Jawbreaker's scales affectionately.

"We certainly can't complain about that. Thanks for the help. Jawbreaker is amazing," Amai said appreciatively. She watched as the glavenus leaned down to bump noses with Raiden. That seemed to ease his worry and he perked back up sparks dancing along his fur in excitement. "Looks like she might have a new fan though," she added with a laugh. Raiden had acted the same way around Rain's abyssal lagiacrus, Shurika, as a puppy.

"I'm sure Jawbreaker won't mind the attention will you?" Lily said as the glavenus gave a sound that sounded an awful lot like a purr. "For now I think we should be able to continue trying to find our lost instructors in peace. I just hope they managed to get away from that deviljho safely," she added.

Amai nodded in agreement as Marcus returned on Grimm who hesitantly poked his head out from around a mangled tree before cautiously approaching. The biggest danger may have passed but their job wasn't over just yet.

* * *

When Alistair realized that Narane was still alive a lot of possible scenarios had gone through her head. Sitting down with her for tea was not one of them. Narane's had been given a room at the smallest of the village inns. It was a small, modest place that smelled pleasantly of the gentle herbs sometimes used in the hot springs out back.

"The innkeepers were happy to give me a place to stay. They even let me have some land out in the empty lot beside the inn to start a garden," Narane said excitedly. "I appreciate how kind everyone has been to me but... but no one can guarantee that they'll always be able to give me some spare zenni or leftover food. I can't do much in my condition but I want to do what I can," she added softly. She grabbed some simple clay cups and sat them down on the table.

"Iris, who helps run the inn, has been teaching me to make tea. She does it as a hobby but said I could make small baskets and sell them along with tea packets to the tourists along with my bigger ones. I have some plants of my own growing in the garden but those leaves won't be ready for months so I'm using hers to learn," Narane said her hands twisting nervously as she waited for their opinion.

Alistair was trying to keep a neutral expression but knew she must be failing judging by the worried glances Narane kept throwing her way. Sitting here with the same woman who had put Rain through so much bullying and heartache was difficult but this wasn't her decision to make. Rain was the one who had lost Storm and Sakala, she was the one who had been bullied by Narane and had so much of Tanzia turn against her. Whatever Rain decided to do would be difficult enough. Alistair wasn't going to add to her wife's troubles by holding onto past grudges if Rain decided she wanted to let go instead. Rain had supported her through some of the worst times of her life and now she need support in return.

Alistair took a deep breath and decided that if Rain could try and reach out after everything that happened then she could as well.

"I would recommend telling people to drink it with honey. It has a sweet almost fruity taste. Its really good," she said honestly. Rain nodded in agreement as she sipped her own tea.

"Thank you Narane this is really good," Rain said gently. Alistair could see how conflicted she was but she was still trying, still reaching out to see how Narane responded.

"Thank you and thank you for coming. I don't know what I did but I can see that being here isn't easy for you," Narane said softly. Rain grimaced and didn't dispute it. "I won't resist if you want to have me... have me..." she paused, her face turning pink with embarrassment as she struggled to find the words she wanted. "If you want me to go to prison," she substituted. Rain was silent. While it was easy for Alistair to see that Rain felt sorry for Narane she still hadn't made a decision yet. She reached over and grabbed Rain's hand for show her support.

"Whatever you decide to do I'm here for you," Alistair assured her.

"I want the village council to be aware of the situation but I don't want to charge you with anything," Rain finally stated. "They deserved to know who you are but so far in the time we've been here you haven't actually done anything wrong. No one has had anything bad to say about you. As far as I can tell you aren't even the same woman anymore. I don't trust you but... it doesn't feel right to punish you now. You're no longer a threat to me or to the ones I love," she decided.

"I just want to live in peace. I want to make my baskets and grow my garden and... and I want the nightmares to go away. I don't want to hurt anyone," Narane said earnestly.

"I believe you. I just want to make sure it stays that way," Rain said firmly. Narane nodded and finally seemed to settle down a bit.

"Why don't you tell us more about yourself. What you can remember and how you got here?" Alistair suggested. She may not like Narane but sitting here in silence would be torture. 

The rest of their time passed quickly. Narane didn't have much to tell. She was pulled out of the ocean, the sailors took her to a healer who had done what he could, and she had gone with a trade caravan for a while earning her stay by feeding and bathing the great maccao they used to pull the wagon train. When they stopped here for a while Narane decided to stay. She heard it was famous not just for the hot springs but as a place with great healers and medical practices.

"That's it really. The healer I see said I'll always have chronic pain but she's helped out a lot. She said I might even be able to walk with just one cane in a few months if I keep my therapy up," Narane said finishing up her story. Alistair once again found herself trying not to stare at Narane's burned skin and crippled body. Maybe she had suffered enough already. 

"Thank you for talking with us and for the tea," Rain said standing up. "I hope you can find the peace you're looking for," she said honestly. Narane bowed her head quietly.

"Thank you for giving me another chance. I won't mess this up. I promise I won't," Narane said emphatically. Alistair kept her thoughts to herself as they left. It wasn't until they were back outside that Rain spoke up. They were heading to pick up Quake who had been munching on ferns in an empty field just down the road when they left him. Even now Alistair could see him and hear the sound of plants being ripped up as he snacked.

Rain sighed wearily and Alistair wrapped and arm around her comfortingly.

"My family has... had a complicated dynamic for a while. I still remember when my dad was the kind, loving man he used to be. He stayed that way for a while after my mom died and my step mom came into the picture. Then he got hurt while fishing and had to let Storm take over more. He started drinking after that and got worse when Storm said he didn't want to be just a fisherman. That's when my dad started getting physically abusive towards Storm. But only when it was just the two of them and only just enough to be able to excuse it away as a 'boat accident," Rain said.

"When Storm left home dad starting verbally abusing me. Small things when Ramona was around and far worse when she was away working her market stall. He had never laid a hand on me until... until that night on the beach but I should have known it would only get worse. Afterwards I asked my stepmom if she hated Shurika for killing him. She had a lot of anger at the time, most of it for herself not realizing what was going on and for not listening to others who said that something wasn't right," Rain said lost in memory.

"She was quiet for a long time before telling me that forgiveness doesn't have to mean mean overlooking or forgetting what a person did. Sometimes it just means letting go of your anger and learning how to move on. I think she meant that in regards to herself as much as Shurika," Rain stated.

"Is that how you feel about Narane?"Alistair asked her.

"At first I wanted to hate her and I wanted her to suffer but now... what good would it do to punish a woman who will never remember or understand what she did wrong? What's the point of holding onto my anger over someone who just wants to get better and be left in peace? I'll never forget that day, I'll never forget what Storm's body looked like and what Sakala went through on his last night but I've spent enough time being angry and so far it hasn't helped or changed anything," Rain said heavily.

"I'm sorry things couldn't be different," Alistair told her. She pulled Rain into a hug and felt her sigh and relax.

"I just want to go spend some time with you and your parents. I'd rather do something positive then wallow in misery and anger," Rain murmured into her hair. Alistair understood that although she was more of the type to do the exact opposite and sit around stewing in her emotions. But if Rain wanted to get her mind off things then she would do her best to help.

* * *

"Looks like this is it," Marcus said pointing ahead to where a few jaggi were excitedly bouncing up and down to get their attention.

"I'll keep watch out there with Teresa. You two go ahead and check inside," Lily suggested. Amai didn't mind following her directions. Someone had to take the lead and she had proved throughout the Guild course so far that she was patient and levelheaded.

"You stay here," Amai ordered. She gave Raiden a kiss and grabbed her sword and shield from off his side. Thunderbugs swirled around her before darting off towards the cave entrance. He may have to stay put but that didn't mean he couldn't continue doing his job. "Thanks big guy. Be back in a few," she assured him.

"Ready?" Marcus asked. He was trying to light a simple torch using a stick and sticky oil but it wasn't quite working. Amai lifted a thunderbug from her shoulder and held it up to the torch with her hand. Its antennae wiggled a bit over the oil before it sparked, causing it to catch fire.

"I still don't know how you managed to train them like that. I have a hard enough time getting the jaggi to be quiet for five seconds," Marcus sounded impressed.

"A ton of patience and a zinogre who loves to make me happy," Amai explained as the thunderbug crawled back up to her shoulder. "Getting used to having bugs around me all the time was the worst part. At least they keep other creepy crawlies away though," she added.

They headed into the cave with Marcus' torch helping as the light faded the further they went inside. They walked for a few minutes before the thunderbug on Amai's shoulder flew off and darted around her head before turning sharply right. Amai followed it to a spot on the wall only to realized it wasn't solid. The rock wall broke and had a gap big enough for two people to fit through but it could only be seen from a certain angle.

"That would have been easy to miss. They must be through here," Amai said as more thunderbugs appeared and started zipping back and forth in a shimmering line. They followed the thunderbugs trail through the narrow passageway until the glow of a fire appeared ahead of them.

"Who's there?"

Amai recognized the lightly accented voice of her favorite instructor right away. The thunderbugs flashed and sparked before most of them headed back out the way they had come. The others floated around the ceiling waiting for them.

"Instructor Rhyda? Gurash? It's Amai and Marcus from the Guild School! We came to find you!" she called out. Moments later Rhyda's head popped out from around the corner. Her expression melted to one of relief as they approached. Her normally black skin had a gray palor and she was limping in a way that made Amai worry.

"I'm glad you're here. Gurash isn't doing well and I already broke off one of my dual blades in that deviljho's hideous hide," Rhyda said as they entered the larger area. There was a hole in the cave roof several meters above them with vines hanging down. There was a faint trace of sunlight as the ferns moved in the breeze. Gurash was against a wall his shirt ripped and something wrapped around his bloody chest. It took a moment for Amai to realize that Rhyda was only wearing a simple shirt and her armor chest piece was on the ground. She must have ripped up her longer shirt to use as bandages.

"What happened?" Marcus asked. Amai accepted the torch and passed it on to Rhyda. She worked with Marcus to get Gurash up on his feet. His light brown skin had turned unnervingly pale and his was breath shallow.

"Deviljho bit both of us. That corrosive saliva is nasty stuff. I tried to do what I could and I washed most of it off but I don't have the best supplies and I didn't want to risk going to find herbs. Not with Gurash so weak and that deviljho still out there," Rhyda said looking to them for confirmation.

"We took care of the devljho," Marcus explained. He grunted and shifted his weight as he helped support Gurash between them. He was by no means a small man and Amai found herself feeling very grateful for her training and workout routine. "We meaning Lily, Amai, and Teresa. Grimm and I just ran around trying not to get stepped on or eaten," he corrected himself.

"And we couldn't have done it without the distraction. Lily and Jawbreaker were the ones who delivered the killing blow though," Amai said as they took a few experimental steps.

"You can all pat each other on the back later," Gurash muttered out.

"Right. Let's go instructor we'll have you back at the school in no time," Marcus assured him. It was a slow walk back to the cave entrance and Rhyda spoke about their flight as they walked. Gurash had encountered the deviljho first and when it continued to chase him he had tried to fire off some arrows. In return it had snapped his bow in half and bit him in the chest. Rhyda had appeared moments before and sliced away at the deviljho until it dropped him and then left one of her blades stuck in its mouth while she grabbed Gurash and fled.

"We made straight for the marked sanctuary and that's where we waited. I could hear the deviljho coming and going outside. Sometimes it would stay, often times it would wander and come back. Other times it tried to make me think it was gone but always got too impatient to stay quiet. I was starting to worry. It would be hours before the Guild realized something was wrong and longer before they put a plan into action," Rhyda commented as they emerged out into the sunlight.

"You look like you handled yourselves well though. Unexpected perhaps but still great training for all of you," she said appreciatively.

"Just doing our job ma'am," Amai said cheerfully.

"You don't even know how long she's been waiting to say that," Marcus pointed out earning a short laugh from Rhyda.

"Oh you'll all be busy enough after this but don't think you won't be graded on your performances today," Rhyda warned earning a groan.

Teresa landed and helped Gurash up onto Jade's back and made sure he was settled in before instructing the rathian via hand signs to return to the school. Jade in return gave Teresa a pointed shove towards Jawbreaker and refused to take off until her rider was safely up on the glavenus back.

Grim and Marcus would run ahead to the school to let them know what happened while Raiden and Amai, who had Rhyda sitting behind her, would take the lead with Lily and Jawbreaker bringing up the rear.

"We ready?" Amai asked as she checked all the straps and Raiden gave his usual shake to be sure.

"Ready here," Lily called out. Amai gave the whistle and Raiden turned and moved into a light run back towards the school.

If today was any indication of the future then this was going to be a very interesting job indeed.


	18. A New Beginning

Alistair sliced her switch axe through the air, stopping it just short of landing on Ginouji's wing tip. She was ready to declare victory when she felt a blast of hot air on her back. Smiling she looked over her shoulder to see Akairo standing there a short distance away. He growled and spat up a few flames to show he was within firing distance.

"Good job. Learning to fight alone is very important in case you get separated, but learning to fight together and help each other is important too," Alistair said praising them. Both of them relaxed and then came over to her for kisses and hugs reassuring her that they meant no harm but mostly assuring themselves that their mother was still okay and happy with them.

"I hope you never have to fight anyone," Alistair admitted, "But I still want you to be prepared. Learning to fight humans will also help you learn to stay safe against other monsters. You'll know that even small fighters can be dangerous not to mention big ones that may want to fight over food or their home. Some might not just let you fly away," she continued.

"Like Big Bluue?" Ginouji asked.

"Yes, just like Big Blue back in Tanzia. That's why this training is so important. You'll learn how to protect yourselves against other people like me and you'll fight each other. Only it won't be for fun like it has before," she warned them. Both of them hummed in acknowledgement. They were growing up so fast and while Alistair longed to cling to the toddling hatchlings they used to be she had been working hard to let go and give them more freedom.

So far it was working. Akairo and Ginouji had been growing more independent, spending longer hours away from her while still returning each night. There were days when they wanted nothing more then to spend every minute with her and others where they were gone before she woke up and didn't return until after sundown. They never strayed far from the village but she could see how much it had improved their confidence. As much as it pained Alistair to admit it they needed to know that they could survive without her. Accidents happened. Disease and sickness happened. If something did go wrong they needed to be able to watch out for themselves like Jasper did.

"Firrre now?" Akairo asked hopefully. They had been begging her to try out new firebreath techniques for days now.

"Sure we can try it out but you have to be careful with it," Alistair agreed. Both of them perked up happily and raced ahead.

Alistair had continued her practice of reading up on what she could find about rathalos and rathian behavior. Her favorite volumes were by Farah Gracine. She was a researcher who simply recorded what she saw and let the facts speak for themselves. While others squabbled over theories and ideas to try and secure better positions or funding she was reporting unbiased facts without putting her own interpretation on them.

Farah had discovered a family group who had learned to blow fire in a stream instead of single fireballs or sweeping blasts. It was something they used sparingly to catch others off guard and and then pin them down. She had spent two years in the area and regularly saw the parents and their older independent brood ingesting fireweed on a regular basis. Once the hatchlings reached a year's age they too had started doing the same thing. Just days afterwards the consistency and color of the hatchlings fire breath had started to change gradually tending towards hotter white instead of orange and occasional reds. It also burned hotter on the ground as well and took almost three times as long to fade when something caught fire.

Farah's resulting analysis was simple. Clearly the parental pair had not only discovered how to breathe fire in a different manner, but had also discovered a way to make that flame more effective when it was used. They had then passed this knowledge on to all of their hatchlings by feeding them fireweed when they were of the right age to ingest it.

Counterarguments had flown almost immediately after publication but by then Farah was already on another expedition and wouldn't have cared about others opinions even if she wasn't.

Alistair had immediately wanted to try it out as well after reading it, so for the past few weeks she had been teaching Akairo and Ginouji how to spot fireweed and then which plants were the best to eat. That was two weeks ago and both of them had been increasingly anxious to see if anything was different.

They came to a wide shallow river. Akairo and Ginouji already used their fire to hunt and but this was the area they generally used for practicing and targeting. Less chance of burning something down and plenty of water around if something did happen to catch fire.

"Remember what I told you before?" Alistair asked as they took up their positions.

"Breve in, boow out," Akairo said. Rathalos and rathian had unique air systems that allowed them to breath in and out at the same time while shooting fireballs. This was to prevent gasses from getting back down into their lungs. They did it naturally but Alistair figured they could do it deliberately to harness a longer firebreath attack.

Quickly moving out of the way, Alistair took up her position behind them.

"Okay go!"

Both of them leaned forward and let loose a blast of fire from their mouths, but instead of shooting a fireball they keep going, letting a stream of fire shoot out over the river turning parts of it to steam. Even standing back here she could immediately tell that it was a lot hotter then before.

"Now breathe like I told you!" Alistair shouted to them. She wasn't sure if this would work like she theorized but as Akairo and Ginouji starting actively breathing in more air she quickly saw a change in their firebreath. Not even a second later the fire coming out of their mouths increased in intensity and burned an intense white instead of orange. The temperature climbed and Alistair instinctively took a few steps backwards.

"That's good!" Alistair called out to them. They stopped and shook their heads more because of the steam now surrounding them then anything else. She ran up to them to check if they were okay but both of them were too excited to stand still. They chattered excitedly at each other in growls and body language before turning to her.

"Burn brite. Just like mmma sssaid. Fill... feel bettter too," Ginouji said, careful as always to try and pronounce his words properly. Akairo looked ready to go out and try again.

"I'm so proud of you," Alistair said hugging them both in turn. The usual smoky smell that surrounded them after a fire attack wasn't as potent either.

"Do you want to go back or keep practicing?" Alistair asked them. Although she already knew what the answer would be.

"Eep tying. Learn use from skyyy," Akairo said fanning his wings. Ginouji hummed in agreement. Outside of hunting every few days they had been spending all of their time practicing their flying. Now those days would also be filled with fighting practice against her or each other. At least until Alistair could get some more hunters here for them to train against. Hunters she knew and trusted. She had already sent out a letter but they probably wouldn't arrive for a couple months yet.

"Well you two be careful and remember to make sure nothing else catches fire," Alistair warned them again. As much as she would love to stay and watch being in the same area as two rathalos flying, hovering, and shooting off fireballs probably wasn't a safe idea.

They had actually started a fire once that quickly spread to a few trees. A few quick tidal waves of water from the river had put it out but it had served as a good warning. Both of them had been a lot more cautious since then.

"I love you two. Watch out for each other," Alistair reminded them. Both of them nuzzled her back with happy hums before Ginouji jumped up into the air with Akairo rising up into the sky after him.

It was easy to hear the roars of combat and the hiss of fire as Alistair left. Even when she got back to the small neighborhood they lived in she could still make out the occasional thump of fireballs impacting the ground.

Alistair slowed down as she got to her parent's new house just a few spots down the road but it was busy with activity. The rest of their stuff had arrived and was now being moved into the new house. Even Quake was nearby occasionally helping as the urge struck him by moving the heavier items around. Usually after watching a group of humans struggle for too long to carry something.

Her mom was talking to Terri her art teacher and quickly waved at Alistair to come over. Terri was a retired but very well known artist originally from one of the desert nations. She had started painting young and quickly moved into the professional realm selling her work and making murals for others. One of her most famous murals of a Hallowed Jhen Mohran leaping out of the sand could be seen in the Guild Headquarters in Loc Lac.

Taking care to avoid the movers, Alistair walked over and accepted the drink her mother handed to her. She was parched but still raised her eyebrows at the slight bite of alcohol as she tasted it.

"Housewarming gift," Mira explained.

"Hello Terri. Sorry I haven't gotten back to you yet. The painting I was originally working on got covered in sand so I started a new one," she explained.

"Then why don't we go see it today?" Terri said before Alistair could come with an excuse to get out of it. "I also heard about your adventure on the lake. Nice rescue from your rathalos. Helped reassure a lot of people who were still nervous about having them around. Looks like you may have had an accident though," she added clearly trying not to laugh. Mira was giving her a motherly look of disapproval and worry as well.

"Why is your face so red? Did something happen?" Mira asked before Alistair could ask what was wrong. Alistair touched her face and realized how warm it was.

"I was training Akairo and Ginouji to use their firebreath more effectively. I must have been standing too close or it was a lot more powerful then I realized," Alistair admitted. Like most of her family she was fairly pale skinned but they still tended to tan in the sun instead of burning and she had built up quite a tan after living in Tanzia and moving here. So whatever her face looked like right now it must have been pretty noticeable.

"I'll put some cream on it when I get home," Alistair assured her mother who was still giving her a look.

"I'm just worried something is going to happen that's all," Mira told her. Alistair knew that the increasingly serious and dangerous training they were doing worried her parents a lot and she couldn't blame them for it.

"So am I, that's why I'm doing this. They need to know how to protect themselves and use their fire effectively and carefully. Just like you and dad worked with Quake," Alistair brought out. The look Mira gave in return firmly reminded her that Quake didn't breathe fire.

"Better they learn to use it now then end up burning a building down by accident because something startled them I suppose," Mira conceded. For now at least. Alistair knew that they were likely only going to butt heads more as Akairo and Ginouji got bigger. They had nearly lost her once, they didn't want to lose her for good to an accident. As much as they loved her it was important to remember that her babies were not domesticated beasts.

"Well I'll leave you to make sure everything gets arranged the way you want. Alistair and I have a painting to look at before she can come up with excuses as to why it needs more time," Terri said knowingly. Alistair grimaced and finished the rest of her drink in one long gulp. Mira laughed and gave Alistair a kiss on the cheek.

"Be careful dear. We're just down the road if you need anything," Mira reminded her before letting them go.

It only took another few minutes to reach the house. Rain was already home unwrapping some fish and rice to cook for a late lunch. She just waved to them as they walked by.

"Its right through here," Alistair said. She led Terri back into the large room on the side of the house. Part of it was for art and the other half Rain used as part of her work sorting through what she found or repairing her tools.

The painting in question was still sitting up on an easel off in the corner near the window. Alistair liked to paint where there was plenty of natural light and she could open the shutters to let the fumes out. Terri used her scarf to tie her braids back before leaning into examine the painting.

"Oh this is lovely!" Terri said approvingly. It showed her and Sky as children climbing all over Quake's head. Alistair was hanging off one of his horns while Sky was hanging off his crest.

"Quake was a part of our lives since we were born. We never had any fear of him. Never had any reason to. Working on something so familiar to me helped ease a lot of my worry," Alistair admitted as Terri examined the detail on it.

"And it came out beautifully. See? You have plenty of talent Alistair, you just need to have more confidence in yourself. I know people have already bought your work," Terri pointed out. It was true people around town had bought some of her paintings and drawings already.

"I'd... like to publish a book actually. I've been told that the journals I've kept while raising Akairo and Ginouji would be enjoyed by quite a few people. Not just researchers but the rest of the public as well. I was thinking of reformatting it and including artwork. Copied charcoal drawings of their development and my interactions with them," Alistair confessed.

"Oh that would be a wonderful idea! I know a small printer that still makes up and distributes my artbooks. I'll find their information and get back to you. I can help you understand how the process of printing and distributing your books will work," Terri said.

"Could you? I mean I've been wanting to do this for a while now but I've kept doubting myself, my writing, and my art but I don't want it to keep holding me back. Not anymore," Alistair told her.

"You're artwork is more then good enough but at our next class we can go over over charcoal and graphite techniques again," Terri offered her. Alistair relaxed at that and gratefully accepted. They discussed a bit more before Terri left with a promise that she would be back later with the information she had promised.

Alistair walked back into the kitchen heading over to Rain and wrapping her arms around her waist from behind. She felt Rain's sigh and the way the tension melted out of her body at the hug. She waited until Rain was done cooking before speaking up.

"What's wrong? I know you went to see the village council after work this morning," she said knowingly.

"I did. Narane wanted to go as well. Trying to be brave and do the right thing I guess. We were waiting to be called in when Narane started getting overwhelmed, began crying and kept repeating that she was sorry. Even after what she's done it still broke my heart so much to see her like that. It made me feel so terrible I almost called the whole thing off. She doesn't even know what she did wrong and I was dragging all of this back up for... for what exactly?" Rain said heavily.

"Everyone was staring at us of course and one of the elders came up to help calm her down. He suggested that we talk in private. I spoke to him and one of the other council members alone. I explained who I was, who Narane used to be, and how we knew each other. They agreed that it was a complicated situation and thanked me for speaking to them about it. They called for the doctor Narane has been seeing to have her give some thoughts on the situation," Rain revealed.

"After arriving, she confirmed that Narane's brain and nerve damage is permanent. The doctor was fairly confident after various testing methods that the amnesia is a result of electrical damage and complications from blunt force trauma. Not a result of Narane unknowingly suppressing memories. At best Narane is simply never going to remember anything before being attacked while out to sea. At worst trying to do so or being reminded of her past will trigger episodes of overwhelming anxiety and panic like today," Rain fell silent for a moment and picked aimlessly at the rice she had made.

"Kind of hard not to feel like the bad guy after that and my guilt was pretty obvious for everyone to see. The two elders said that I can draft a letter requesting that the incident remain on file but that all charges against Narane be dropped by the Guild and Tanzia authorities. They'll add their own letter and one from the doctor as well detailing her current medical condition. They'll know what happened but Narane won't be taken in or charged for anything unless she commits further crimes," she concluded.

"And then its over," Alistair said already familiar with the procedure. Serious charges against a hunter like murder or assault were never dropped by the Guild unless the person who brought them up specifically requested it.

"Then its finally over." Rain confirmed.

Alistair pulled back and let Rain turn around to face her. It was obvious how exhausted she was. Wrapping her arms around Rain's neck, Alistair held her tightly.

"Is this what you want?" Alistair whispered. Rain was holding her back just as hard, clearly wanting the comfort and reassurance.

"I do. I've been fighting with myself over it but after today... yes. Unquestionably yes, this is what I want. Narane doesn't deserve this the way she is now and dragging it back up isn't fair and it isn't justice. I know what happened to her and I know she's not a threat to my family or my lagiacrus anymore. That's good enough for me," Rain said wearily. "I just... I feel like other people would tell me how stupid I am for not trying to have her locked up again. For just saying enough and moving on," she added softly.

"It was your family, your brother, who died that day. If you would be happier moving on and showing forgiveness then everyone else can shove off," Alistair responded. Rain gave a tired laugh and a hum of contentment as Alistair pet her hair.

"Thanks. I know you have your own feelings about all of this but I would never have made it through this without your support," Rain said gratefully.

"Showing compassion to those who have proved they deserve it shouldn't be considered a bad thing. Now let's eat lunch and then go for a walk with Akairo and Ginouji to take our minds off all of this," Alistair suggested.

"That sounds so much better. It will be nice to enjoy an evening of quiet before the next crisis comes along," Rain said as Alistair finally let her go.

"Oh don't be like that. We'll have a few months at least before I start getting ideas about flying around on their backs," Alistair said teasingly.

"Great then me  _and_  your parents can all get stressed out together," Rain said leaning in to kiss her slowly and tenderly. Alistair sighed and melted against her for a moment.

"I love you. Especially when you put up with and support me in things you don't agree with," Rain murmured to her.

"I don't disagree I just have some very strong feelings of lingering resentment is all," Alistair corrected her.

"My mistake," Rain apologized with a smile. Stepping back she reached into the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of the local sake. "Why don't we make up over drinks?" she suggested with a wink.

"You always say the sweetest things to me," Alistair said appreciatively.

* * *

Everyone was back at the school safely, medics were tending to the injured, and Amai had made some new friends. Although the liberal flow of alcohol probably helped that along quite a bit. Kurohana's anxiety had started to get to her a bit since she didn't know Teresa and Lily that well but she had agreed to come as long as Amai stayed. She had also commandeered part of the outdoor dining area and a stone table with a grilling area set into it so they could all have a celebratory cookout.

"I can't believe I missed it! I saw Jawbreaker facing off against the deviljho and looked away for a second to check my saddle straps. When I turned back it was already over!" Teresa complained from beside Amai.

Clearly she was disappointed to have missed what she considered the best part of the action. Kurohana didn't seem bothered by hearing the grisly details and in fact looked right at Amai as she dipped her meat in some sauce she had made earlier and ate it. Amai gave her an nasty look in return from across the table. She was hungry after their mission but the more Teresa talked the more her appetite withered.

"I was there too but I didn't need to see that," Amai said with a shudder. Lily was sitting across the table next to Kurohana and was at least trying to act sympathetic.

"But I bet it looked so cool in motion! One big tail slice and chop! Off its head went!" Teresa said her hands flying up to demonstrate. Amai felt her stomach turn at the memory. The smell of the meat cooking in front of them didn't help either.

"I think we get it Teresa. You might want to stop before Amai starts turning green," Lily said gently. Teresa huffed and reluctantly let her hands drop. She reached over and grabbed some meat off the grill instead. She was about to stuff a piece in her mouth when she saw Kurohana's chastising look. Teresa rolled her good eye and obediently grabbed some of the sauce as well. Satisfied Kurohana put some more meat on the grill while Teresa turned back to Amai.

"You're a monster hunter and your partner is a carnivore. You can't seriously be that put off by stuff like this," Teresa complained with her mouth partially full.

"I also helped trap, kill, and chop up food for the halk my family took care of back home. Had to open one up to look at its organs when a few of them got sick and died from something they were eating. Still doesn't mean I have to like it," Amai pointed out.

A smirk from Teresa was the only warning Amai got before something red was shoved up under her nose. She screamed and jerked back on the bench nearly punching Teresa in the face in the process.

"Whoa watch it! Take out the one eye I have left why don't you?" Teresa exclaimed as she leaned away from Amai's flailing arm.

"Don't surprise me like that then!" she objected. Her face was burning hot with embarrassment. Kurohana's eyebrows had shot up in surprise making Amai feel even more ridiculous.

"Does the sight of blood really bother you that much?" Lily asked curiously. Amai managed to recover some of her composure but felt even more embarrassed as she realized the red stuff Teresa had shoved at her was just fruit filling from the fruit turnovers Lily had fried up earlier. Teresa snorted with laughter as she ate the turnover and even Kurohana's eyes danced with laughter.

"It does actually, I just learned to deal with it," Amai confessed. "I know how strange that must sound coming from someone who hunts monsters, has a zinogre, and generally hunts and prepares her own food including meat but," she shrugged and let her sentence hang.

"No stranger then a woman who's afraid of heights flying around on a rathian," Teresa stated. Kurohana's look of surprise prompted her to add, "I've always been afraid of heights honestly but losing my eye made it worse since I don't have the same range of vision I did before. But like Amai said, you learn to deal with it."

It wasn't quite an apology but Amai still recognized and accepted it all the same.

"Why don't we just enjoy the meal Kurohana was nice enough to prepare for us?" Lily suggested while shooting a chastising look at Teresa.

"All right, all right I can take a hint. No more teasing," Teresa promised. "Thanks for the meal by the way. This sauce is amazing. I'm too used to just grabbing whatever I can while traveling," she added gratefully. Kurohana simply smiled shyly and nodded in acknowledgement.

"You're both from the northern tundra right?" Lily asked. Teresa looked over at Amai and motioned for her to go ahead.

"Sort of. Teresa is to the east of where I'm from on the northern continent but still the same frozen mountains and tundra. Only they actually get a proper summer and not just a couple short months of a bit less snow like we do. Our people came from Fonlon long ago and settled in family groups across the mountain range and northern ice," Amai explained. "Teresa's people originally lived on the fallen continent in the northwest. They left after a series of natural disasters make their home too hostile to continue living in. That's what I was told anyway," she paused and looked over at Teresa to make sure she was getting this right.

"That's pretty much it," Teresa confirmed. "From the stories I was told much of the landscape was similar to where we are now. Ice, snow, mountains, deadly monsters. Both areas are volcanic but my ancestors home had far more active volcanoes," she added thoughtfully.

"A bad earthquake triggered an ongoing series of terrible volcanic eruptions. Like nothing people could remember. The capital city called in representatives from everywhere. The biggest towns to the smallest villages and nomadic tribes. Everyone agreed that with the way the ash was falling it wouldn't take long for large parts of the continent to be unsustainable," Teresa told them. "Besides keeping animals to eat my people also use extensive underground systems and caves for farming. Using geothermal activity to keep things warm enough to grow and naturally occurring glowmoss for light. But back then the eruptions were making the water too acidic for the plants. No farming for people and the vegetation pastured animals would rely on to get them through the winter was dying off as well," she revealed.

"So they left? I mean it must have been a massive undertaking but obviously something had to happen, right?" Lily asked.

"That's right. Every possible sailing ship was drafted, the best map makers and navigators were brought and more were trained. Not everyone wanted to or was able to leave obviously but those who could spread out. Some just headed straight east. Amai's ancestors had already been living there for a few centuries. Seeing so many people and animals they suggested sailing around to the eastern part of the land instead. That way both could live without having to worry about competing with each other. It also kept some pretty big mountains and hostile terrain in between everyone just in case. And here we are," Teresa finished with a shrug.

"Tensions only started to increase when the Guild expanded its territory all the way up to the northern sea and ice sheets. But the Guild can't act where people don't want them because they don't get paid that way. Teresa's people welcomed them... mostly," Amai amended, "Many of the tribes I know hated the idea. We finally compromised so now most, but not all, Guild activity is prevented in our national borders. Others farther north welcomed the help so it all depends on who you ask," she added.

"Keep in mind that we've mostly left our warrior roots and put more effort into fishing and raising animals for meat and clothing," Teresa pointed out. "Full time warriors just take too much effort to support. That's why most villages can only afford to have one hunter stay with them full time. Having the Guild around was appealing to the warriors already there and a relief to civilians who would then be able to simply pay for more help to come if necessary."

"Reminds me of home," Lily stated. "The Guild had some of the wind taken out of their sails when they discovered that the Jurassic frontier they just discovered wasn't uninhabited or even a new discovery after all. But it can still be a very dangerous place to live. Being able to call on the Guild for help when, and only when, they were needed didn't seem so bad in the end. Just as long as they realized they didn't have free reign to go around carving up whatever rare monsters they saw," she added quickly.

"I think that's what a lot of the nations I know are concerned about. We've always handled problems ourselves. Letting the Guild in could help, but what if they start demanding more? More control? More access to our lands? We only use the monster parts we need but as cities grow so does demand for what people need... and want," Amai paused and looked down as shame flared up within her. "I love being a monster hunter and I love what I'm learning here. I just wish I had listened to all of this before leaving instead of being so self-centered," she added quietly.

"My mom is one of the local lords and believe me there's still a lot of discussion, angry yelling it probably seems like to foreigners, about letting the Guild continue to operate in our lands. Although its not really common knowledge last I knew," Teresa said to Amai's great surprise.

"Really? Why?" This was the first she had heard about it.

"We may come off as just a bunch of rough, rowdy, loud, troublemakers and... well that's not entirely wrong honestly but above all we value lasting relationships and working together. We have to or we wouldn't survive living where we do. Amai's ancestors were kind enough to give mine help when they first arrived. Even if they did make sure to put a few large mountains between us to be safe they still guided us to new land we could live on and helped establish trade routes so we could survive the first few winters. There was so much we had to learn all over again. Geothermal spots for farming, ocean currents, new types of fish, what to avoid and so on. Some of the lords don't think that allowing the Guild to stay is worth the tension its produced between us and the other nations," Teresa admitted.

"Have they told leaders from the other nations yet?" Amai asked. No sooner were the words out of her mouth then she wrinkled her nose and corrected herself.

"No of course not. It can take months to send correspondence back and forth under normal circumstances. Airships can't make it past the mountains so it has to go on foot. There would be no point in going through the trouble of sending letters to all the village leaders if nothing has been decided on yet. Especially if the debate has been going on for years already," she realized.

"Pretty much," Teresa confirmed.

"Do you think there's something we could do?" Amai asked her. "I mean we're already representatives of the Guild and that will be even more true if we pass this course successfully. Maybe they''d let us help since we came from there? Or at least work with us to try and find a solutions?" she said hopefully.

Lily cleared her throat to get their attention.

"The instructors have already said we'll be getting three months of in field training and monitoring after this course is done not including travel times. If we request it they'll even try to send us to a Guild post that's close to our homes. You'd be able to continue training and have time to visit your families up there," Lily suggested. Kurohana nodded in confirmation of that as well.

The more Amai thought of her home the more homesick she got. She had left at 16 and hadn't been back in a few years. She sent letters frequently now but knew that responses would be infrequent if they came at all. She wanted to go back. She wanted to apologize for being a stupid teenager who thought she knew everything and felt her parents were just trying to keep her from having fun. She missed her family.

"Would you be willing to go together if we managed to get posted up there for our training?" Amai asked Teresa hesitantly. Although it took a moment for Teresa to pull her attention away from the meat Kurohana was putting on the grill and realize she was being asked a question.

"What? Me? Sure why not. You already have a good reputation here and I know you well enough to trust that you won't ditch me along the way. I want to visit my family back home too and if we're both going to be heading up there then it only makes sense to travel together for at least some of the way," Teresa agreed.

"Representing the Guild is an important responsibility. The places we go to may already have a tense relationship with them. Aside from rescuing lost individuals we also have to make sure we don't make things even worse," Lily pointed out.

"Well we can continue our plot to destroy the Guild from within another day. For now I'm hungry. Can you pass me some more sauce?" Teresa asked flippantly. Kurohana actually let out a giggle even as Lily scowled at the comment. "Oh don't get yourself in a twist, Lily its just a joke!" she added.

"Hey!" Teresa complained as Lily reached across the table and stole a piece of meat off her plate.

"Don't worry, Teresa, its just a joke," Lily shot back. That of course began a war of chopsticks and other eating utensils between them. Kurohana simply scooted a bit farther down the bench and continued cooking while Amai laughed at them.

Maybe she could make a side trip on the way back to visit Alistair and Rain. It had been far too long since she had last seen them. Akairo and Ginouji had to be huge by now. Big enough to fly around and breathe real fire instead of just sparks at least. She would definitely have to make time for a visit even if it was just for a few days.

Things were changing but it felt more like the start of a new experience then the end of a different one


	19. Three Year Marker

 

Amai tried not to fidget as she waited for Guild leader Rashana to finish her final report of their progress. The months of in-field training she had been doing with Teresa back home in the frozen north had flown by. Now it was time for them to be graded on how well, or badly, they had done. Teresa was confident that they had aced their training and was sitting in the seat to Amai's right filing her nails nonchalantly.

"You did well. I'm honestly impressed. Adapted well to the local climate considering your zinogre partner had never seen snow before arriving here. Showed initiative when possible, asked for clarification when necessary, and went to the next level of authority above your established Guild leader to get the necessary help instead of trying to solve the matter yourself," Rashana glanced up from the report at Amai who blushed slightly.

The incident in question involved a report of a delayed caravan and an incoming snowstorm. The previous Guild leader felt that Amai and Teresa were too inexperienced and the caravan would just have to hope for the best. Teresa argued that there was no point in having the new Guild Scouts arrangement at all if they couldn't do their jobs in dangerous weather. Amai supported her and after being rebuffed twice both she and Teresa had gone to the local Hunting Overseer instead who was the head of all Guild activities in the area. He agreed with them and had brought in Rashana to replace the former leader.

"The caravan was found stuck after two of the popo pulling it were spooked by a nearby barioth and got hurt. You both helped assist the injured animals and helped with shelter, food, and warmth until the storm passed. Then proceeded to escort the caravan to their original destination. No lives lost thanks to the quick actions of the Guild Scouts," Rashana said as she wrote down a few more lines onto the report.

"That is in addition to the other field missions you've done while here. Amai and Raiden successfully tracking a lost gammoth through the snow, Teresa was able to assist in finding a group of fishermen whose ship got damaged and grounded on some rocks. Not to mention other tasks, a few escort missions, and regular training sessions in tracking and scouting with the Guild and some of the locals," Rashana said approvingly.

"I'm going to recommend that you both skip entry level and instead be given the rank of intermediate along with the associated privileges. You've shown these past few months that you're both fully capable of successfully working alone or together with minimal guidance and help. Although you've also shown that you can work under a Guild leader or a local citizen who is more experienced. Being humble and following the directions you're given is important. Knowing when to stand up for yourself so people don't get killed even more so," Rashana stamped both reports and slipped them inside envelopes. Both of them got a wax Guild mark to seal them before being put into protective covers.

Amai stood up and sighed gratefully at the news. Teresa put her nail file away and stretched her arms up over her head.

"See? I told you we had nothing to worry about. Thanks Rashana. Try not to let your ego get too big in that plush new chair of yours," Teresa said with a grin.

"And you try not to let that mouth of yours get you into trouble. That brash northern attitude may be daily business around here but one day its going to get on the wrong person's bad side," Rashana warned with a shake of her finger.

"Probably but that's what drinking contests, ring matches, and sea dives are for," Teresa said unapologetically. Although she then bowed respectfully and added sincerely, "May toa tesukatora grant you wisdom."

"And may amatsu grant you safe travels. You have three months before you have to be back at the school so you're free to go where you want. Just be sure to leave a detailed schedule of where you'll be going and for how long if you leave town," Rashana added glancing up at them. Amai nodded quickly in confirmation. Guild Scouts who went missing didn't help anyone.

"All right. You're clear to leave then. Here are your reports to give back to your instructors at the school. Please try not to lose or damage them. In the meantime you can have these patches to sew onto your clothing. Preferably the shoulder or chest of a jacket where they will be easy to see," Rashana added. She handed over both reports along with two two palm sized patches on top of each large envelope. It was large circle with the Guild symbol and a stylized monster over it that she didn't recognize.

"This monster is...?" Amai trailed off and looked up questioningly.

"Inagami an Elder Dragon only found in bamboo forests. Capable of summoning bamboo from the earth and healing itself when in danger. Believed widely to be a dragon of healing and protection. One who watches over local people while aggressively attacking those who might do them harm. Similar to what ukanlos is for the native people here or toa tesukatora is now for descendants of the settlers like Teresa. The Guild council thought it a fitting symbol for the newly established Guild Scouts division. So wear it with pride you two," Rashana explained.

Amai stood taller at that explanation. She was proud of how much she had accomplished and she hoped her parents would be as well.

They made it outside looking proud and professional but the second the door closed Teresa let out a whoop of triumph so loud it sent a small avalanche of snow cascading off the sloped roof they were standing under. Amai grimaced and rubbed her ear.

"Wake up ukanlos and akantor both why don't you?" Amai complained. While she generally thought of herself as a fairly outgoing person, Teresa's boisterous and loud nature outpaced her several times over. She had become close friends with Teresa over the past year but these last couple of months working together in Guild training had been another experience entirely.

"Oh don't act like you don't want to do the same thing. We're Guild Scouts! Like officially now not just trainees! We're good enough that we skipped novice level and went straight to intermediate! You can't tell me that isn't a reason to celebrate!" Teresa said excitedly.

"With a hot meal and some warm cider back at your family's estate sure, not by shaking the heavens enough to make amatsumagatsuchi come down to see what's going on," Amai chastised. The people walking by had barely glanced over at the noise. It was barely a blip on the radar compared to what happened every day here among the locals. Teresa just rolled her good eye and put her hands behind her head.

"Are you still moping around because Shirakawa hasn't sent you a letter recently? I'm sure he's just out on a scouting mission or something," Teresa stated. Amai's cheeks burned and she glared at her friend. Her embarrassment was all the stronger because it was true. Still distance and busy schedules on both ends weren't enough to keep her from wondering if something had gone wrong.

Amai very nearly shot back that at least she wasn't obsessively reading the last one Shiro sent like Teresa was with the letter Kurohana had recently mailed to her. Not to both of them like every other time before but just to Teresa alone. Amai didn't know what it said but she could take a pretty good guess. Especially considering how uncharacteristically shy and nervous Teresa had started becoming around Kurohana before they left.

_That's a low blow and you know it,_  a more reasonable voice in Amai's mind warned her. As outgoing and friendly as Teresa was she could get extremely uncomfortable and distant when it came to sharing any deeper, more personal feelings. Snapping back at her may feel good at first but it wasn't fair and it wasn't right. What it was would be childish and petty.

Amai must have been quiet long enough that Teresa realized she had stepped too far. Her smile slipped and she let her arms drop.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to... a lot of things could have happened that could result in a delay. He said its the rainy season where he and Kurohana are at right? The airships for the mail service are probably just behind," Teresa said awkwardly, half apologizing and half trying to make up for her mistake.

"Lets just go celebrate our success and forget about it. I'm sure your family will want to know the good news," Amai offered instead. Teresa relaxed at that and quickly perked up again.

"My dad has been so proud its the only thing he talks about now. He's even had one of the young popo on a special diet for months preparing for today's feast so it would have been awfully uncomfortable if we failed. We lost two of my younger brothers to a ship that got swept off course in a storm and crashed. By the time the rescue ships found them most of the crew was already dead. Not from the cold but lack of food and injuries that were left untreated. With a Guild Scout station here that might not have to happen again," Teresa said her mood sobering at the memories.

"It feels good to be helping out," Amai agreed, "Not that being a monster hunter doesn't help people as well but this is different, it feels more tangible." She sighed and looked up at the sky.

The massive mountains to the west and the Northern Ocean Current to the east out over the bay kept the most punishing of the winds constantly away from the inner coastline. But they were still more then enough to be deadly if you weren't familiar with how to stay safe in the snow. Plenty of tourists coming to see the beautiful sights of nature or the northern lights ended up hurt or lost every year because they ignored basic safety.

"I just hope my parents will feel the same way," Amai said quietly. Teresa merely hummed causing Amai to look over at her strangely. She  _always_  had something to say but now she was quietly fidgeting, practically bouncing on her heels in fact.

"You're up to something," Amai said suspiciously. It was a statement not a question and Teresa just grinned in response and grabbed her hand.

"Well the sooner we get back to my family's place the sooner you'll find out what it is!" she said cheerfully dragging Amai down the street.

* * *

When it came to children there was one thing Alistair knew for certain. Nearly every parent thought their child was the cutest and smartest around. While she and Rain may not have human children Alistair was still perceptive enough to realize that she was in no way immune to such ways of thinking. So as Ginouji and Akairo grew up she had assumed that a lot of what she perceived at intelligent behavior was biased. But after a few months of learning to fight against monster hunters Alistair knew and trusted, she was starting to realize how very wrong she was.

Alistair squirmed and glanced over at Dervish, the older hunter next to her. His white skin was tanned and scarred from many battles over the years and his hands calloused from decades of wielding a great sword. His black hair was getting more gray in it these days as well. He also had no love whatsoever for the hand raised rathalos and lagiacrus now hanging about his usual hunting territory. He felt the situation would only cause trouble and generally avoided both her and Rain to avoid unnecessary conflict. The Guild said they were protected and that was that whether he liked it or not.

However he was the best Guild hunter around for hundreds of miles and that couldn't be ignored. So after a polite request and moderate flattering about his years of experience and maturity, "surely a man like yourself would never allow personal opinions to influence what you saw," here he was. His long lifetime as a Guild hunter far outweighed her own and if something was going on here he would easily be able to spot it.

Sundan and Avira were a married couple that Alistair had met years ago. They had often teamed up together to take on larger monsters. While Rain had taken care of Alistair physically and emotionally after her trauma, they were the ones who went to Zystae to arrange for all of her and Koda's material possessions to be sold or packed up. They were the first and only choice when it came to training Ginouji and Akairo to protect themselves against humans.

"They've been training for four months is that right? Is that the basics or straight fighting like what's going on now?" Dervish asked gruffly. Ahead of them Ginouji and Akairo were wheeling around in the air studying Sundam and Avira from a safe distance while they called to each other and formed a plan.

"Fighting. They've already spent months before learning more of the basics for rathalos such as hovering, wheeling about in the air, stopping short to attack, being careful with their poison spurs which only started coming in this past winter and so on," Alistair explained.

Dervish hummed and narrowed his eyes as Ginouji and Akairo swooped down on Sundan and Avira from opposite directions. Both pulled up their weapons, a long sword and insect glaive respectively, ready to defend themselves. Alistair sucked in a breath instinctively. Diving and flying with their talons close to the ground to knock an enemy over wasn't unusual but both rathalos were on track to run into each other if they didn't pull up.

Alistair flinched as Ginouji and Akairo went screaming towards each other but both pulled up at the same time hovering for brief moment before they swept their wings down and moved. Ginouji dodged to his left avoiding an overhead slash by Sundam while Akairo did the same missing and a Kinsect attack by Avira. Both of them were still moving opposite one another in a circle and were breathing streams of fire as they went. Sundan and Avira had no choice but to dodge to avoid the fire. This attempt to get out of the way of the blistering heat perfectly set them up for another move.

Ginouji dove forward and pulled up again ripping Sundan's sword straight out of his hands with his beak while Akairo backflipped grabbing Avira's insect glaive with his talons before his tail sent her flying backwards with a sharp crack.

"Better call a stop to this. That looked like it hurt," Dervish warned but Alistair was already whistling sharply.

Both rathalos dropped back to the ground, Ginouji still holding the longsword in his mouth and conveniently out of reach while Akairo landed on top of the insect glaive and calmly started examining his wings for injuries. Neither one of them looked all that concerned by the latest round of fighting. If anything they looked rather bored actually but that didn't stop Alistair from hurrying over to them anyway.

Now they perked up, Ginouji tossing the sword away and Akairo giving a happy purr as Alistair wrapped her arms around his head and kissed him on the nose affectionately.

"You both did so well! I'm so proud of you!" Alistair said lavishing them both with attention and verbal praise. She could practically feel Dervish's glare on her back but she didn't care. Especially when Ginouji closed his eyes in happy bliss as she rubbed that spot behind his ear. Sundan was helping Avira back to her feet and thankfully it looked like she was relatively okay aside from rubbing her back.

"First time I've ever seen a rathalos pull a move like that. Especially that fire move? I know you told me they could breathe fire instead of just shooting it but they really waited for the best time to spring it on us didn't they?" Sundan said sounding impressed.

"They've certainly learned to work together brilliantly. Even alone they can still fly circles around the both of us. What have you been teaching these two? At this rate we're running out of things to show them," Avira pointed out.

"I didn't think Rain and I had been teaching them anything special but after seeing these past few months I'm starting to reconsider that," Alistair said eyeing the smug looks in both rathalos' eyes. "I just figured that I was biased since I've raised them from eggs," she added honestly. "Although to be fair their experience with other rathalos has been extremely limited. We came from Tanzia Port so I made sure they knew how to swim and they've spent a lot of time playing and play fighting with the lagiacrus. They learned to fly from Jasper, the crimson qurupeco that hangs around the area and even Quake, our diablos, has helped them at times. I think he enjoys the play fighting. I know that they've borrowed some moves and attack patterns from the other monsters but I hadn't really stopped to consider that in a larger context when it came to them growing up," she continued.

"The biggest challenge from what I can see is that they just don't fight like other rathalos. That's why its so hard to counter them because they just don't move in any way you can predict or expect," Dervish pointed out.

"Why would they fight like other rathalos when they've never been around them?" Avira added backing Dervish up. "I'm no researcher but even I know that they stay with their parents for up to five years and often remain in the same area as adults until they find a mate. A lot of what they know comes directly from their parents teaching them. It helps them to survive but also narrows their abilities somewhat. Having been raised around so many different monsters means your monsters are by nature inclined to be far more adaptable. Changing their tactics as the situation calls for it instead of trying to run away and recover or regroup. Being together means they not only work together but try to outdo one another as well," she pointed out.

"And both of them are just three years old. I can't imagine what they'll be capable of in a few more years if they keep practicing like this," Sundan pointed out.

"Just what we need. I can't imagine this ever being a problem," Dervish muttered. He said it primarily to himself but it was still more then loud enough for Alistair to hear and if she could hear it, Ginouji and Akairo could as well. They may not talk around strangers but that didn't mean they couldn't understand what was being said about them. Beside her Ginouji bared his teeth in response and Dervish grimaced and crossed his arms.

"I understand wanting to protect them but training them to fight like this? Just seems like a bad idea all around to me," Dervish stated.

"If you really think so highly of their intelligence then surely both of them are also smart enough to realize that attacking humans or anything else unnecessarily will only get them into trouble. Possibly even result in them being hunted down," Alistair pointed out sharply as both rathalos shifted closer to her protectively. With age came understanding and both of them had come to realize that they were bigger and stronger then she was. In turn they had become more protective of her when they felt she was being threatened or insulted.

"Those aren't tame beasts. What they are, are deadly monsters who spit fire and have nasty attitudes. It only takes a wrong move, a flick of their wing, or even just having a bad day for them to kill a civilian," Dervish said in an infuriatingly calm tone. Now Akairo hissed at him in warning.

"Well its a good thing they have experience around people and learning how to behave properly with them. They aren't mindless animals. Maybe you don't trust them but I do," Alistair said trying to keep her temper in check. She had asked him to come here after all. He narrowed his eyes as Ginouji curved his head around in front of Alistair in a move that was rather obviously defensive.

"I just hope your trust in them proves to be well founded," Dervish responded. He nodded to them stiffly before leaving. Alistair didn't relax until he was out of sight.

"Maybe that wasn't such a good idea," Alistair mumbled.

"Ignore him," Sundan told her. "Its natural to worry but so far Ginouji and Akairo have been perfectly fine. Not just around us but everyone else in town says that they've never done anything to make them worry. Its true they aren't like us but if we're to believe that they're both as intelligent as they seem then at some point you'll have to trust them to do what they've been taught. Not just follow their instincts," he added.

Alistair wrapped her arms around Ginouji and rested against his head. He smelled like hot metal and smoke. He nudged her gently and purred reassuringly.

"I know Ginouji and Akairo are dangerous. I'd be a fool if I didn't but that doesn't mean they are a danger to anyone here. I don't believe that. I can't believe that," Alistair said as tears welled up in her eyes. "I just... I just want them to be safe. I can't bear to lose them," she whispered. Now she felt Akairo rest his head ever so gently against her back.

They really did love her and as they continued to grow into adults she had to trust, had to believe that everything was going to be okay.

Everything was going to be fine. It had to be.

* * *

"What is this all about anyway?" Amai asked suspiciously as Teresa quietly fidgeted in the seat across the heavy driftwood table. Right now they were in the front of Teresa's home lodge, or her family's anyway, in a place meant for entertaining visitors. The building was huge with a roaring fire, heated floors, and cozy seating. It was partially wood and partially built into the side of a mountain which kept it warm in the winter and cool in the brief summer months.

Teresa just shrugged at the question and took a large swig of her cider.

"Teresa come on you've obviously been planning something so if you won't tell me what it is then at least tell me why," Amai tried again. Still Teresa just sat there silently twisting her mug around before sighing reluctantly.

"I wanted to say thank you. Well to everyone really but you're the only one here so I did the best I could," Teresa finally admitted. "Its just... I come from a big and pretty rich family here but I've never had many real friends. My eye is gone now but before the accident I still had problems with it. Had to wear glasses in order to compensate for my weak vision in that eye. Problem is the corrective lenses were throwing off my good eye and my depth perception. Tried all sorts of different methods for nearly a year. From goggles to a single lens. All the kids made fun of me endlessly for it," she explained.

"It didn't help that I have a bit of a lisp as well. Its gotten better with age but its pretty obvious to hear when I'm really stressed out. So... yeah, I was a miserable kid. I learned to compensate with my bad eye but then I lost it completely in my hunting accident. When I got to the Guild School I was worried that it might be a repeat of my school days with no one wanting to work with me or feeling that I would just slow them down. Not to mention having to work with Jade's deafness as well," she admitted.

"Sure maybe this all sounds ridiculous to you but I really appreciate the way you and the others have worked to accommodate Jade and I over our Guild school training so far. Always making sure we were included in team missions and never getting upset or complaining when we took longer to accomplish assigned tasks. It means a lot to me and I felt this was a way to show how much I appreciated the effort," Teresa concluded awkwardly. "So yeah. Thanks," she added clearing her throat and downing a large portion of her cider.

"I didn't realize it was that important to you but I'm glad we could help make things easier. Most of us have probably worried about fitting in honestly; some more then others. I'm glad you suggested coming up here together. I've been really stressed out about coming back again so its nice to have a friend nearby. Even if she does snore," Amai teased. Teresa just stuck her tongue out at her childishly and refilled their mugs with more cider.

Amai knew she shouldn't do it but it was impossible not to smile at how awkward Teresa looked right now. It didn't take long before the urge to make a retort grew too strong to ignore.

"That being said Kurohana might find herself waiting quite a long time if she's expecting you to finally step up and say something to her," Amai said with a grin as Teresa choked on her drink. She spluttered and coughed before getting air again and glaring darkly at Amai.

"Oh shut up! I'm working on it!" she shot back her face burning red.

"Hey, I don't see her writing me any personal letters so she might appreciate it if you worked on it a little faster is all I'm suggesting," Amai brought up.

"Sis your guests are here!" one of Teresa's older sisters called out.

"I'll get you back for this later. Come on they're here!" Teresa said as she jumped up from her seat and hurried to the door.

"Who's here?" Amai said hurrying to follow along after her.

"I hope you're ready to apologize for all that teasing you've subjected me to," Teresa said smugly. Amai was about to tell her exactly what she thought of that accusation when Teresa opened the door.

Standing there was a man draped in a heavy coat woven from gammoth fur with bony plates on the shoulders and arms. He had long white hair in a few thick braids and a heavy beard that was kept neatly trimmed. Beside him was a woman with similar clothing but with boots and gauntlets made from jade barroth hide. Her hair was the color of ash and there was an old scar going down the side of her neck.

"Mom? Dad?" Amai said in shock. Coming from their home territory was never an easy trek. Even on the tail end of winter it was still a dangerous and long journey to make. She turned to Teresa who was standing back watching them.

"Didn't feel like hiking through the mountains with you in all this snow is all," Teresa said trying to shrug off the attention.

"Don't let her fool you. She's been keeping secrets and arranging this meeting for months. Kept telling us how much you missed home and how badly you wanted to see us again once your training here was done. Figured I had to come just so I could get her to quit bombarding us with letters and messages," Amai's father said with good humor shining in his eyes.

"Dad I... I'm so sorry. Everything I said before I left..." Amai started only to be cut off when her mother stepped forward and embraced her.

"That's all buried in the ice now. Yes, you could have listened to us and the elders but we should have done more to listen to you as well," her mother assured her. She pulled back with a smile and Amai quickly tried to sniff and blink back her tears.

"I wanted you to take over the rookery and the halk as an adult but that's never where your heart was. Perhaps if I had listened to all of your requests to go learn from our village scouts and hunters then maybe things would have been different. But as your mother said that's buried now there's no point in digging through the snow to find it. Can we move on instead?" her father asked letting her know that all was forgiven. Better to stop and consider how to move ahead then worry about what you had left behind. It was good life advice and a necessary reminder for travelers in these parts.

"We can and I'm sorry for being a stupid teenager who thought she knew everything," Amai apologized.

"And I'm sorry for being a stubborn man who was too caught up in his own dreams to see those of his daughter," he responded. The hug he enveloped her in was a long time coming and it made her realize just how much she had missed her family and how fortunate she was to still have a relationship with them.

It felt good to have some direction in her life again instead of just grabbing a weapon, accepting a contract, and charging off to the wilds to find a monster to hunt. But most of all it felt good to be close to home again.

Amai couldn't wait to catch up on everything that had been happening since they last met. Things were going so well there was nothing that could ruin this moment.


	20. Warning Signs

 

A frantic knock at the door was not what Alistair expected on a peaceful afternoon. Sundan and Avira were taking a break from rathalos training for their weekly date night and Rain was done with work early and taking a nap. That gave Alistair some time to continue working on pictures for the book she was finally putting together.

Wiping her hands off, Alistair stood up and hurried to the door as the pounding came again. Whoever it was sounded urgent. She opened the door to find Narane standing there. She only needed one cane now to walk instead of two but clearly had struggled to get here and was breathing heavily from the effort.

"Narane! What happened? Come inside and sit down," Alistair urged seeing how distressed she was but Narane was already shaking her head.

"No! No... your... your bird. The big pretty red one. He's hurt! He's hurt really bad. I was out picking some wild herbs and leaves to make tea with and sell along with my baskets when he came running towards me," Narane said anxiously. "I... I got scared and screamed really loud before I realized who it was. There were some people chasing him but your... your monsters, the silver and red rathalos heard me and came to see what was going on. The strangers ran away when they saw red one coming for them and the silver landed and... and he spoke! I didn't know he could speak!" she continued. That distracted her for a second before Narane shivered and fluttered her free hand again.

"He... he said to come here. Come here right away! So I... I came back here to tell you what happened. And to get help! I can't forget to get help," Narane muttered the last part as if reminding herself not to forget it.

Ginouji and Akairo did in fact remember Narane and what she had done to Storm and Sakala but whatever feelings they had on the matter they had kept to themselves. Both of them had asked several times if Rain was felt okay with her being here and after confirming that she was they hadn't said anything else on the matter. Still even if she was the only person around having one of them talk to her to get help was a big surprise.

"Alistair? Narane? What's going on?" Rain asked as she emerged from the hallway still rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Here. Come in and sit down for a minute. We'll grab a few things and follow you to where Jasper is okay?" Alistair told her. Narane nodded and gratefully came in to take a seat in a wicker chair by the big bay window.

Rain still looked confused as Alistair tugged her back to the bedroom closed the door so she could quickly change clothes. Shorts may be comfortable for sitting around doing art but she would need longer and tougher material for trekking through the forest. She tossed her sandals into a random corner and grabbed her usual hiking pants and a thicker short sleeve shirt.

"Someone attacked Jasper. Narane was in the forest gathering herbs when he came running towards her. She screamed and Ginouji and Akairo were close enough to hear her. They came flying over to see what happened. Akairo chased after the people Jasper was running from and Ginouji apparently landed to stay with him. He told Narane to come back here to us for help," Alistair explained.

"Attacked? Is he... forget that we'll find out how he is soon enough," Rain said. She slid around Alistair who was hunting for her boots to go and change clothes herself.

"I'll grab the first aid bag. Can you check and see if we have any spare towels that are clean?" Alistair said as she quickly slid her boots on and laced them up. The first aid bag was different from the cabinet and basket of supplies kept in the house in case of emergencies. This was specifically designed for their monsters in case one of them got hurt or needed some quick care.

"Got it! I'll check in the back and see if we have any more jars of medicinal cream and bottles of wound cleanser. We don't know how much we might need." Rain agreed.

Alistair hurried out and grabbed the large bag from the hallway closet. She felt Rain brush by behind her as she rushed to check on towels they had set aside for first aide. If Jasper was bleeding badly then typical bandages wouldn't be all that effective. The only time they had actually needed them was when Ginouji and Akairo started losing their baby teeth around two years old and had their adult ones started growing in. She went through the bag quickly to check that all of the essentials were still there. Another package of glue patches and one more spool of thread along with an extra needle also got tossed into the bag.

"Found some!" Rain called out from the back room where they kept extra bath and cleaning supplies for their clothes.

They met back by the door, Rain tossing her the towels to throw in the bag. Narane had gotten back to her feet and was now standing there fidgeting anxiously by the window.

"We're ready. Lead the way," Alistair said hoping that they weren't too late to help.

* * *

"So what's his name?" Amai's mother Natsu asked as she gazed up at Raiden's sleeping form. Even laying down he was a huge monster to behold.

"Raiden. So he would grow up strong at least in spirit if not in body," Amai said swelling with pride. Ever since she first held him as a puppy in her arms Amai knew that she wanted him as a partner. However, she also knew from experience with the halk back home that sometimes monsters, like people, just weren't very healthy. But a weak body could still mean a strong spirit and he needed a name that would reflect strength in both aspects.

"Wise choice and a powerful name indeed," he said with approval.

Names were always given deep thought in their nation and never based on family or just randomly chosen. Her mother's name Natsu no Mori meaning summer forest because of her being born in the tribe's summer village. Her father's name was Yoru no Nadare, avalanche of the night, after a collapse on the road kept Yoru's parents from leaving to visit relatives nearby. That night his mother ended up going into early labor and thus came the name.

Amai's name meant naive. She asked for the story once and Yoru said it came from her grandmother who laughed and thought Natsu was naive for believing that a girl would give her less grief in life then a boy would. Natsu had chosen the name as a way to get back at grandma for saying that and prove her wrong. Amai reluctantly had to admit that she'd done better job then she would have liked living up to grandma's predictions.

"He was born near the ocean in a more tropical climate so I was worried about how well he would tolerate the cold but so far he's been doing fine. He even started playing the first time it snowed. Jade, Teresa's rathian, wasn't nearly as amused by him throwing snow around though," Amai remembered fondly. Even now his fur had grown noticeably longer and thicker then it had been in Tanzia or at the Guild School. It had expanded across other parts of his body as well but aside from that Raiden seemed to have no problems tolerating the snow and wind.

Amai was caught up in her thoughts so it took a moment to realize the mood had changed. Her father looked both proud and sad at the same time.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Your job entails scouting correct? Helping those who are lost or injured in the wilds? Have you noticed anything... anyone unusual around lately? Nothing overt just something that strikes you as strange?" Natsu asked instead. Amai thought about that for a moment before answering her mother.

"About a week back there was a group hanging out at the tavern Teresa's aunt operates. We've been going there after work when we can. Teresa likes to catch up with family and it has great food that also happens to be free for us. I heard the group talking about a contract they were late on delivering but didn't think anything of it. Teresa said they looked like freelancers," Amai explained.

Freelancers had been around here for far longer then the Guild had. While a few them did hunt monsters they generally just took on a wider variety jobs then licensed Guild hunters did which is why they were still well established here.

"We didn't think much of it at first until we overheard them say that they were tracking a tigrex and needed some sea ropes if they wanted to hold it down properly. The council has severe restrictions on monster trapping both for freelancers and the Guild. Even the Guild has to log all monster kills and captures with the local authorities or risk getting their permission to operate here removed," she continued.

"Let me guess, you asked around and couldn't find any official papers that allowed them to go out trapping?" Yoru suggested. Amai nodded in confirmation.

"We brought it up to the local authorities who said they would begin an investigation and left it at that. We didn't want to overstep our bounds and we had to leave the next morning for a mission anyway so we just left it there. I'm not sure what happened to them but I recognized one of them standing outside watching Raiden while she smoked. She wasn't doing anything but it still made me uneasy. Haven't seen any of them since but it does stick out," Amai finished.

"The reason your mother asked is because the gammoth haven't left our summer territory yet," Yoru told her. Amai startled at that and instinctively looked up to check the weather.

"But the gammoth  _always_  leave at the start of the eighth month. Its so predictable our nation has used their arrival and leaving as a calendar in the past," Amai said in surprise. Of course her parents already knew that as well as how unusual it was.

Gammoth were a huge part of their lifestyle. Her family's halk may provide a steady supply of fresh eggs and let them send messages to one another but a single adult gammoth could provide enough meat to feed their village for months in the winter. Not to mention enough hide and hair for everyone to get new clothing or repairs. Then there were the bones and ivory that could be used for weapons, repairs, or as supports for their large winter huts. Summer cabins may be nice but in winter they needed to be able to move as necessary to avoid being pinned in place, possibly for weeks, by the blizzards.

"Its been worrying everyone," Yoru confessed. "The herd should have shown signs of getting ready to move to the outer edges of the summer territory weeks ago. By now they should be gone deeper into the mountains. The hunters have already killed one of the oldest adults and the village has begun preparations with the meat and hide so we'll last through most of the winter. Brought some extra bone and ivory with us here to trade for new scout saddles and tools," Yoru explained. Amai wasn't surprised. As nice as it was to see them she would have been shocked, and worried, if they hadn't also taken advantage of the opportunity to prepare for winter.

"The herd matriarch is well over a hundred isn't she? If she's staying this long then she knows something is wrong. Have the scouts noticed anything? Or their mounts?" Amai pressed. The village had four primary hunters. A married couple with two stygian zinogre sisters they had raised from pups. There were also two lagombi whose excellent hearing and insectivore diet made it easier to find and then approach skittish prey animals when more meat or hide was needed.

Natsu's mouth twitched with a restrained smile but Amai was too busy going through possibilities in her head to notice.

"All of the halk are fine but the lagombi are skittish and wont go out alone while the zinogre sisters have started taking turns staying up at night to prowl around the edges of the village. You can hear them outside the walls of the summer cabins," Yoru answered.

"Barioth are bold predators but seeing one that far south would be highly unusual. Same with blagonga who live higher up the mountainsides. A large wyvern would scare the lagombi and the halk but you've already said they aren't bothered. A deviljho would have everyone upset but they never stay in once place so the gammoth would settle down again after a week at the very most. That just leaves a tigrex. Strong enough to compete with the zinogre, big enough to take down a lagombi, and a gammoth's biggest predator. If those freelancers are still tracking a tigrex then it could be roaming farther to try and get away in turn causing the gammoth to hesitate on leaving with their young," Amai muttered to herself. It wasn't until she heard a chuckle that she looked up and saw the amusement on her parent's faces.

"I'm so sorry! I fell back into my Guild Scout habits without even realizing it," Amai apologized. "The first thing we do when trying to locate someone or solve a problem is ask questions like that and eliminate as many possibilities as as we can first," she meekly explained.

"I was worried about what kind of influence the Guild might have on you but clearly they've built on and sharpened the survival instincts and knowledge we instilled in you. I'm proud of that if nothing else," Yoru said. The approval in his voice made Amai glow with happiness. They wouldn't be letting a Guild representative set up a station near the summer cabins anytime soon but it was a much bigger step then any they had made before. Maybe Teresa was right. Maybe they could help patch the rift between their people after all.

"Well... I mean.." Amai paused before taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, "This kind of thing is my job now. Finding lost or injured people and monsters is our top priority but we do more then that. We also investigate problems that may be monster related to help avoid problems before people get hurt. If... if you wanted help... I mean the village scouts could probably handle it fine. Its just that I'm here and... um.." she trailed off not sure if her offer would be welcome. A softening attitude towards the Guild did not indicate acceptance after all.

"Calm down before you hurt yourself dear," Natsu said reassuringly. "I'll admit I'm still not sold on you working for the Guild but your father and I have spoken and..." she looked up at him and he nodded.

"This is as good a time as any for you to prove you're serious about this. You always did want to be a village hunter instead of working with the halk and its our fault for trying to keep that from you. If you really are determined to do this then find out whats going on. We'll even make the contract official. This will serve as your adulthood rites. Do this and you'll have earned a hunters charm from the village elders," Yoru explained.

Amai's heart soared so high it nearly burst straight out of her chest. Passing adulthood rites was a dream she had buried long ago to hide how much pain her youthful mistake to leave home caused her. Now she had a chance again. It was more then just being recognized as a capable adult like she should have been already. It would mean the village had truly forgiven her and accepted her back again. No matter where she went afterwards part of them would always be with her and her with them. Even if it meant a change of plans or delaying their trip back this wasn't something Amai could pass up.

Amai had a chance to prove that becoming a monster hunter and now a Guild Scout wasn't in vain and just the naive decision of a stubborn teenager. She could prove that she belonged here and that things between her nation and the Guild could work out for the better. She could do this. She had to do this.

* * *

Jasper may be friendly and he may enjoy being around people but he wasn't tame. Partially maybe but not entirely. That was never more evident then it was now as he screeched and kicked to keep them away. Only the presence of Ginouji and Akairo, who had returned from chasing off the attackers, was keeping Jasper from trying to run away entirely.

Jasper's wings had been tied down with the knots tied across his back where he couldn't reach them. More ropes connected to the ones across his back and they looped around his head and beak forcing his his neck back onto his shoulders. It wasn't uncomfortable but it did mean that he couldn't get the air he needed to roar for help. Blood both old and fresh lined his neck and his throat sack.

Alistair watched as Jasper shakily climbed to his legs again bumping into Ginouji who was next to him and shivering before leaning against the rathalos. Akairo bent his head down to hum reassuringly to Jasper.

Someone had tried to hobble his legs with chains but one had come off leaving the other free. He kept kicking out and shaking his right leg but it wasn't going to come off like the other one had. His left leg was scarred and bleeding badly. He must have tried to run when someone came and freed his left leg.

"He's in shock, he's not going to let us get near him," Rain said grimly as Jasper's eyes rolled wildly. Alistair knew she was right. He was in pain, in shock, and wasn't fully aware of what was going on around him.

"But you can help right?" Narane asked peeking around from behind Rain. "Why would they do this? Hunters don't hurt monsters like that do they?" she added anxiously.

"They certainly don't and we're going to do what we can to help," Rain assured her.

"We'll need Ginouji and Akairo's help. His legs are the biggest danger right now but we can't leave that chain dragging on the ground. Either he'll trip on it or we will," Alistair said putting the bag of supplies down.

"Do you have an idea of whats going on?" Rain asked as she also put her bag down and started going through it. She grabbed a wash cloth, some glue patches and one of the water jugs.

"Illegal arena hunters but clearly not with the Guild. They hide the arenas and take huge cuts from them without having Guild regulations or interference. Legal arena fights are still a big part of Guild business both for training new hunters and for sport. If the people who did this were Guild licensed they would've already had a qurupeco with them who was trained to summon a wide variety of monsters on command or for a reward. They also get monsters who had to be capture or from researchers who can no longer keep them," Alistair explained.

"See the way his head is tied? Looped around his head and beak and then loosely around the knots on his back?" Alistair pointed out. "Those ropes trailing behind him are meant for someone to quickly give his neck and beak more range to move or to pull them back again. There's blood trailing down his sides so they probably cut his wings to keep him from flying temporarily. Then they would keep hurting or taunting him occasionally letting his head loose to see if he could call for help," she said.

"And they lie in wait for whatever monster comes along and capture it?" Rain guessed.

"Exactly. Only the Guild raises and trains qurupeco specifically for that role. They imprint on the first living thing they see right out of the shell. Makes it easy for their assigned handlers to raise and train them. I could always tell in Loc Lac because you could see young qurupeco following their handlers and wearing special bandannas or body sashes with the Guild logo on them so they wouldn't get lost. But this?" Alistair stopped and shook her head. She didn't approve of the arenas but at least the Guild had procedures in place and researchers on sight for continued evaluation of the monsters health. This was just torture.

"We have to free his other leg but we should keep his head bound for now. At least until we can sedate him or be sure he won't lash out and hurt us or himself," Alistair rooted through the bags until she found a fresh needle and sedative. They had never needed it before but Jasper was half wild. They couldn't trust him in a situation like this the way they could with her rathalos or Rain's lagiacrus.

"I'll try to sedate him first, then you go in and see about the chain on his leg," Rain suggested. Alistair grimaced but nodded reluctantly. She didn't feel comfortable with Rain approaching Jasper in this state but she knew Rain would feel the same way if things were reversed.

"Try to keep him calm as best you can," Alistair instructed Ginouji and Akairo. While Ginouji stayed in place, lying on the ground with Jasper leaning against his wing, Akairo backed up to give them room but hovered overhead in case he needed to intervene.

Alistair did some math in her head before filling the needle with the amount she felt was necessary. Tranquilizer bombs were standard fare for hunters on capture mission but they also had to know how much to give a monster that might require a dart or needle injection. Both required knowledge of chemicals, basic monster anatomy and general weight.

"Here. That should give us about thirty minutes or so. He won't be out completely, just groggy enough that he won't be able to hurt anyone. If we need more then that I have more packed in the bags. Be careful," Alistair said handing the needle over to Rain. She pulled her in for a kiss before letting her go.

Rain carefully crept forward and Alistair's heart leaped up into her throat when Jasper jerked and kicked out with a foot. Akairo rumbled in warning and Ginouji swung his head around to press down on Jasper's back. The crimson qurupeco settled down, shivering and closing his eyes as Rain approached. She murmured something to him as she uncapped the needle and parted the feathers on his neck. Alistair held her breath while Rain gave him the sedative and then quickly backed up. Jasper hissed as she retreated pulling against the ropes binding his neck.

"Its okay you can give him some room now," Alistair said. Ginouji stood up and stepped away while Akairo backed up more. Jasper immediately tried to stand but wobbled unsteadily and laid back down instead.

"Normally it would take a few minutes but in his condition we can't be sure. We should still work quickly," Alistair said. She grabbed a jar of healing gel to go along with the glue pads Rain had taken out.

"Can I help?" Narane asked hopefully. "I hate seeing him like this. I've never seen a monster hurt before. Who would do this? He wasn't doing anything wrong," she added looking highly upset. The irony of that was not lost on Alistair but she quietly reprimanded herself along with a reminder that Narane was not the same person anymore.

"You can in fact. The Guild need to know about what happened here so they can investigate it. Can you go into town and let them know where we are?" Rain asked her. Narane nodded so fiercely she had to steady herself with her cane.

"I can do that!" Narane firmly agreed. "Tell the Guild what happened. Make sure they know about the bad hunters," she mumbled repeating the words to herself a few times.

"I go too. Make sure stay safe. Bring good hunters back," Ginouji said suddenly to Alistair's great surprise. Rain's eyebrows lifted as well. Whatever they thought privately about Narane, Alistair knew she could trust Ginouji to keep his word. Ginouji nuzzled his brother affectionately before setting off with Narane hurrying along as fast as she could at his side.

"Capturing Jasper like this... do you think... I mean the fact that we keep monsters around isn't exactly a secret," Rain stopped and swallowed hard. She looked over at Jasper who was fading quickly and kept fighting to keep his eyes open. "Ginouji and Akairo always stick together and come home every night. Quake never leaves populated areas unless someone is with him. But Seiva and Shurika tend wander around alone and come and go as they like. I saw them both this morning but it would be easier to catch one of them alone. Especially if they heard Jasper calling," Rain admitted.

"We'll take care of Jasper first and once he's safe Ginouji and Akairo can go out flying and see if they can find anything," Alistair said gently. Shurika and Seiva were a part of her life now as well. It would be devastating to have something bad happen to them.

"Fly later with Ginoji. Look far, easy to see. Make sure okay," Akairo assured Rain. He even came over to nuzzle her.

"Thank you. I just... I'm sure they'll be fine but I need to be sure," Rain said thankfully. Alistair fought back her growing worry. They had to care for Jasper first then they could make sure the lagiacrus were safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This current story arc is going to be the last one for Princes of Fire and it will lead directly into the third and final part of this series. Its been a great journey and I hope everyone enjoys it as it starts to head towards the conclusion! But never fear, we've still got a ways to go before then. Thanks for reading!


	21. Dread

 

When Amai jerked awake it took a minute to remember where she was and realize that it was still night. She was heading through the mountains with Teresa following a hunch that the Freelancers and their plan to capture a tigrex were the cause of the problems her tribe was having with the gammoth herd. They had been following the Freelancer's trail for a week now and they were both starting to suspect that the group had set up a base camp in White God's Spine. From there they could reach a wide area in little time. Problem was that it was forbidden territory even to the native tribes, much less an outsider like Teresa. Heading there was making Amai deeply uneasy.

Straightening up, Amai spat out some of Raiden's fur that had gotten in her mouth while she slept. He rumbled against her back and fell back into a deeper sleep again. It took a second of staring to realize that there was a fire going. Rubbing her eyes, Amai stretched and saw Teresa sitting and staring at the fire quietly. She sniffled and Amai could see that she was upset. Jade was awake as well but she was staring out towards the cave entrance. Stretching the kinks out of her joints, Amai pushed her blanket aside and scooted closer to the fire.

"Bad dream?" Amai asked. Teresa merely nodded, her hands picking at the blanket around her shoulders. When she didn't answer Amai got up and walked around the fire to sit down next to her. Teresa sighed lightly and relaxed a bit but didn't say anything.

"Did you want to talk about it?" Amai said gently. Teresa seemed to curl in on herself at that question.

"Its not... something we really talk about with outsiders or even outside of families," Teresa confessed.

For Amai's people dreams could be important but generally didn't mean much by themselves. However Teresa's people could put a lot of faith in dreams viewing them as a sign from their guardian beast toa tesukatora. To her it was just a dream but for Teresa it was clearly important enough to keep her up at night. Whether Amai believed it was important or not it would be rude to just dismiss Teresa's worries and go back to sleep.

"I'll try not to pry then but do you think it will affect our mission?" Amai asked carefully. Teresa hesitated chewing on a piece of her hair before sighing and looking out towards the cave opening.

"I've seen part of the White God's Spine in my dreams. I know its marked off as forbidden territory even by the native nations who live in the area and certainly off limits to outsiders like me. But... my dream started off by drawing me to it. To one mountain in particular," Teresa explained. The way she phrased those words made it clear there was far more to what she had seen but Amai had promised not to pry. Besides she knew White God's Spine like every other nation here did. It was rumored to be the sleeping place of Ukanlos.

"Maybe its a possibility and not a foregone conclusion," Amai offered trying to be helpful although it still sent a shiver down her spine. Teresa pulled the blanket around her shoulders a bit tighter.

"Maybe," she mumbled casting a worried look over at Jade who was now watching them with a sleepy gaze.

Amai wrestled with what to say until she finally decided on a harmless, "You should go back to sleep and save your energy." When Teresa looked at her ready to protest she added, "Both of us know that Jade can't sleep well without you next to her. She worries there's danger out there that she can't hear." That was true actually and Teresa looked guilty for a moment as her eyes darted back to Jade who was currently yawning.

"Fine but if my dream is true then..." Teresa trailed off and didn't finish. Instead she stood up and walked back to Jade settling down next to her. Jade sighed and folded a wing over her protectively before closing her eyes again.

Granted their problems were vastly different but still when Amai explained the situation with her adulthood rites and how she needed to stay and solve the problem with the gammoth herd Teresa hadn't laughed or mocked her. She hadn't even batted an eye. Just said she would sign the contract as well and take it to Guild Leader Rashana to have to stamped and officiated so they could get started. The least Amai could do now was not tell Teresa that it was "just" a dream even if that's what was going through her mind right now.

At least that's what Amai hoped. If they did end up trespassing on the mountains of White God's Spine and woke Ukanlos there would be no one to blame but themselves. Amai shivered and scurried back to Raiden's side, pulling her blanket up around her shoulders again. It was just a dream. Nothing at all to worry about.

* * *

Akairo hissed as he peered into the ravaged nest. It was hidden well enough that it had taken both of them four passes before noticing it. It was easy to miss built into the side of a muddy wall rising up above the river. A large opening in the dirt and mud along with broken tree roots were the only giveaway that something was there. Or had been there at least.

"Shurika's nest," Ginouji said softly as he too sniffed the opening of the den. The walls had been dug out and most of the eggs that were inside had been removed. Some broken ones remained their soft shells ripped open. The nest was recent and the eggs even more so. Ten suns ago maybe.

"Bad humans, like past time," Akairo rumbled. The mud dug out, the smell, the missing eggs, it was no monster that did this.

Rain had told them that Shurika had eggs before but humans had found her next and taken the eggs. Now it seemed that they had come again. There's no way Shurika would have let that go. She must have gone after them or they had taken her eggs knowing that she would come for them and were planning a trap.

Ginouji looked down the river and hummed. He squinted and fanned his wings before giving the deep rumble that was Shurika's name. Akairo hummed lightly in agreement. Shurika had found her nest like this and gone to find the humans who did it. Seiva would have gone after her the moment he found out if only to keep his sister safe.

Akairo hissed and slapped the water with his tail. He spread his wings and nudged Ginouji's side. His brother huffed and looked back towards home before humming in agreement with his decision. They would keep moving, following the river which would be the fastest way for the humans to make their escape. Most importantly they would stick together. No splitting up.

Akairo stepped away and launched himself in to the air rising up until he was clear of the trees. As he swept forward to follow the river he could hear Ginouji behind him and then just beside him. They would find Seiva and Shurika and bring them back home to mother and Rain. They wouldn't let the bad humans hurt them like they hurt Jasper.

* * *

Amai lifted her eyes and watched Teresa carefully. She hadn't flagged a bit all day but at the same time it was clear she hadn't gotten much sleep last night. They were taking a break now to eat and rest a bit before continuing on. Sunlight was getting scarcer at this time of year and they didn't want to waste what they had.

Instead of making a simple meal of meat carved off Raiden or Jade's kill for the day she had decided to bring out the cooking pot she always carried around, forage a bit for wild vegetables, and make a hearty stew. She tasted it and grabbed some spices and dried herb leaves from her satchel. Her father always said that getting food from the earth was one thing but letting it taste like it was another. She stirred the herbs and spices in and put the top back on to let it simmer. Amai grabbed a small loaf of bread from their rations and wrapped it up tightly before sticking it by the coals to heat up.

"Have you ever lost a partner?" Teresa said suddenly. Amai raised her eyebrows at that but Teresa had turned her head to stare at Jade who had torn off a large part of the popo she had brought down and was eating it a short distance away from Raiden who was happily picking his teeth on one of the tusks.

"We lost several of our halk once. The small mammals we fed them had been eating poisonous mushrooms that sprouted during an early spring one year. I'll never forget walking in to feed Yuki and finding her dead. Took days to find out what was happening and we nearly lost three more," Amai confessed. Teresa was quiet for a while before drawing her knees up to her chest and sighing heavily.

"Jade isn't young anymore," Teresa confessed. "Honestly she wasn't exactly young when I first saw her. Our people have been taming monsters for generations and its an old art brought over from our former homeland. Problem is Jade was a wild rathian. They estimated that she was already over 150 years old by the time they found her. She saw some of our younger rathian riders flying along with a transport ship while they were docked in a cove along the western coast of the mainland. It was their first mission," she paused and looked over at Jade with clear affection in her eyes.

"She still should have had a mate or at least grown offspring living in same the area but the sailors say she was all alone," Teresa said. "They think she was lonely because she followed them all the way back up here. She mostly just stayed around the young rathalos and they all seemed to take to her well. They were just going to let her stay at the breeding and training grounds as long as she didn't cause trouble but I was convinced that I could get her to accept a rider. No one believed it was possible of course," she added with a weak smile.

"It was clear that she was deaf, or mostly anyway, and the healers said that she was likely that way from birth or at least most of her life considering that her hunting and behavior was clearly well adapted to living without hearing. We've had riders that were deaf as well as mounts but they both started learning to work together at a younger age. Teens for the riders and under three years for the rathalos and rathian. There's only one other instance in our history of a rider teaching an adult to accept a rider and that was a fifty year old rathalos. Jade was three times that age and I was 14, just old enough to finally be able to lift a riding saddle without hurting myself," Teresa said reminiscing.

Amai silently did some mental math. Teresa was going to be 31 in a few months that would make 17 years since she had met Jade making the rathian at least 167 but possibly older. The average natural life span for rathalos and rathian was around 200. Teresa must have seen her look because she nodded heavily and let her legs stretch out before the fire.

"Jade was past retirement age when she first got here but now? I wasn't..." Teresa stopped and cleared her throat, "I wasn't planning on going to go back to the Guild School with her. I was going to request a new partner and leave her up here to retire for good," she said softly.

Amai nodded sympathetically but she wasn't exactly sure where this conversation was supposed to be going. Then it hit her. The bad dreams Teresa had been having, the extra attention she had been giving Jade, her unusual silence when they stopped to rest.

"You think you're going to lose Jade? Is that what your dreams have been about?" Amai pressed her. Teresa squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. What could she say to that? "Its just a dream" wouldn't offer any comfort because that wasn't what Teresa believed. "Maybe things will be different" could easily just come off as wishful thinking from someone who didn't understand, which to be fair Amai didn't.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Amai finally settled on.

"We need to hurry. I know that much for sure from my dreams. White God's Spine, the Freelancers, the tigrex they want to capture, the gammoth, its all connected. We need to get there and find those Freelancers before..." Teresa stopped and turned to stare at the mountains with concern.

"Before what?" Amai urged her. She could see Teresa hesitate wrestling with herself over whether or not to say more about her dream.

"'Stop them before they wake the Mountain or more then just the one you love will be lost.' I heard a voice say that in the dream I've been having," Teresa finally confessed. "I... I don't know that I can save Jade, but I might be able to save other people and other monsters. She's lived a long life even if I haven't had as much time with her as I would like. If this is how she goes... then I want it to be helping someone else," she said but her wavering voice said that she didn't quite believe that as much as she was trying to show.

"We'll rest for one hour and then we'll get going. That will give Raiden and Jade some time to finish eating and settle their stomachs before we leave. We'll have to push ourselves but we can make it to White God's Spine tonight. The skies should be clear with a full moon," Amai told her.

She didn't bring up that they would have to stop before entering the forbidden territory so she could offer prayers asking forgiveness and protection. Ukanlos was known not just as the White God but also sometimes as simply The Mountain. He was a protector of the land not necessarily the people on it. If he was awakened they would have far more then some angry Freelancers and a herd of gammoth to worry about.

* * *

Ginouji snarled to himself as he trudged through the mud. Jasper had always warned them not to fly in storms so they were walking beside the river instead. It had been eight suns since they left home and they were still trying to find Shurika. The only good thing about all this rain was that they could eat without having to stop. He paused and snatched up a large fish that was trying to fight the rising river. He ate half in one bite and the other half in another.

They had found tracks, cold fires, bones covered in dirt from where the humans had eaten, trash floating along the river, and spots where a large boat had been tied up. Ginouji remembered Rain showing them how she did it or how she dropped a heavy chain down into the lake so her boat didn't float away while she was swimming underwater. But no sign of the humans so far. They couldn't stop searching, not until they found her. Not until they knew Shurika was okay and could bring her back home. Rain was counting on them and mother too.

Ahead of him Akairo stopped suddenly and froze before crouching down slightly his head lowering to the ground. Ginouji imitated him, walking up quietly beside his brother to see what was going on. With their eyesight it was easy to see what was going on even from this distance. A group of humans were facing each other and both sides looked ready to fight. Two on one side and five on the other. But the two humans also had monsters standing with them. One was a large flying monster with deep blue feathers and next to it was a female with black hair wrapped together. The other was long and pink with fur in some places and there was a man with long white hair next to it.

"We aren't going to ask you again. Where is the lagiacrus?" the white haired male next to the pink monster demanded, his voice carrying clearly over the pouring sky water.

"And we already told you we ain't seen no lagiacrus. Specially not no black one with glowing spines. Would be kinda hard to miss it if we did," a male opposite of them sneered.

"You know we were trying to mind our own business. Just travelling back to the Guild School when people saw our badges and started voicing their concerns. See we've already had quite a few people approach us saying they saw a barge carrying an abyssal lagiacrus down this river. Strange since the only one they know of belongs to a woman in Yukumo village who is married to a former monster hunter," the white haired male said.

Akairo hissed at those words and Ginouji tensed up as well. These humans were trying to find Shurika as well. Did they know where she was? Had the humans they were arguing with taken her?

Now the angry humans were pulling out weapons and one was reaching into a pouch at his side. Ginouij recognized the color and shape even from here. It was an irritating powder that made even the biggest monsters choke and burned their eyes until they had to run away. Akairo and Ginouji had learned that during their training. They also learned that fire could clear it away very effectively. The rain would keep it from spreading but not if they hit one of the monsters right in the face or chest. They were going to try and run away.

"We already told you Guild dogs that we haven't seen anything. Maybe we'll have to convince you through other means."

"Perhaps you'll be more compliant once the Guild knights have a chance to speak to you," the white haired male said.

The female with him let out a sharp whistle and the flying monster spread its wings before letting out a wave of sound. The other humans didn't even get a chance to raise their weapons before they started dropping to the ground. Akairo snorted in surprise and took a step back even though they were a fair distance away.

"Strong monster," Akairo rumbled, impressed.

"Put to sleep fast. Even fire not quick enough," Ginouji quietly agreed. Whatever that sound was it had put all the humans to sleep in seconds without killing them. A powerful monster indeed and one worthy of caution.

"So what now? The only methods that might convince them aren't ones I'm willing to use and we already know the barge is still heading downriver. The Guild would want this to take precedence over returning to the Guild School. Even if they didn't we're at a rank now where we can decide what jobs to take for ourselves," the male said.

"Agreed. No point in being a Guild Scout if we don't see this current problem through. However we need to know where is the barge going. This river ends at the ocean and from there they can get almost anywhere in the world if they have a ship big enough to carry a lagiacrus. Research vessels for the Guild do it frequently. All they would need are fishing nets so they could feed her along the way. With the lead they have on us we might not be able to catch up to them before they get to the ocean even if we push ourselves. We have to know what their destination is," the female said.

Ginouji narrowed his eyes at that. He didn't understand everything they said but he understood the ocean and ships and he knew the water was big, bigger then they could imagine. If bad humans had captured Shurika and managed to get to the ocean they could put her on a ship and they might never see her again.

"Humans and monsters try to help. Help find Shurika. Work together. Find faster?" Akairo suggested. Ginouji hummed in agreement. Humans had already gone to these two and their monsters for help when they saw Shurika and they had been willing to fight in order to find out where she was.

"We get humans to talk. Find where Shurika going," Akairo said baring his teeth. Ginouji did the same and stalked forward loudly so the humans would know they were coming. Both monsters turned around ready to attack if necessary but Ginouji ignored them. Akairo gave the male and female a long stare as they quickly backed out of the way.

"Are those the rathalos the villagers mentioned? The ones belonging to the retired hunter in Yukumo?" the male asked as the pink monster curled around him and hissed at Akairo.

"They have to be. See those gold chains around their necks? No one puts something that fancy on a wild monster," the female answered. Both of them stayed back as Akairo and Ginouji went over to the humans.

"Should we stop them?" the male said urgently.

"Just wait and see what they do first. They aren't acting aggressive  so they might not kill them," the female answered calmly.

Ginouji walked over and checked the sleeping human who had been talking before and then lifted his foot and pressed down on the male making sure his talons dug in sharply. Almost immediately the human woke up screaming and trying to get away. The other started to stir from the noise but just a quickly started to panic when they saw Akairo's snarling fangs over their heads.

The male squirmed and cried out again as Ginouji flexed his talons just enough to break the skin. He could easily send them straight through the man and crush his bones if he wanted but he had never killed a human before and didn't care to start now. Just scaring them should work. So he waited until the man was fully awake and was staring up at him with wide, terrified eyes. Then he leaned down until his beak was nearly touching the man and stared at him.

"You know..." the female began slowly, "We were told by the villagers that the same couple who is missing their lagiacrus also has two very, very intelligent rathalos who live in this area. Now they said that there have never been any problems with them and they even helped save some people on a lake near Yukumo. Now I'm sure that normally they would never hurt anyone unprovoked but right now they look pretty angry to me. You just never know what an angry monster might be capable of," she added as she walked over despite the protests of the male with her and looked up at Ginouji.

"Maybe they would be less angry if they knew where this lagiacrus was going. Even monsters have friends and I'm sure they miss her very much," she said reasonably. Akairo's chuffing said he was amused by this. This female was smart and Ginouji made sure to bare his teeth extra wide at the male under his talons to emphasize her words.

"The far east! The far east!" the male shrieked at them now seeming all too eager to talk. "The lands far south of Fonlon where all the Eastern merchants come from. A port known as Reaper's Cove! The Guild barely has any outposts there yet and the lords of Fonlon don't have any influence there. Local barons control everything. People there have never seen monsters like the ones we have over here and they pay incredible amounts of money to watch them fight. They took the eggs of the Abyssal Lagiacrus and then captured her when she came after them!" he screamed frantically.

Now Ginouji removed his foot and let the man crawl off. Akairo snapped and huffed flames at the others to get them moving faster and one nearly tripped on his feet trying to get away.

"That actually worked," the female said in surprise. Ginouji lowered his head to look at her better. He was hesitant to speak to her though. He didn't like talking to strangers.

"We've been told you two are smart enough to understand some human speech. My name is Kurohana and this is my brother Shirakawa. We're from the Guild. Would you be interested in working together? We can try and find this missing lagiacrus together," she suggested.

Ginouji looked over at Akairo who nodded. Humans could do things they couldn't and get information they couldn't ask for. Not without scaring people or putting themselves in danger.

"Shurika," Akairo said softly making both humans jump in surprise. "Her name is Shurika," he emphasized.

"Shurika. We'll find her and bring her back okay? That's what we do for the Guild. We find those who are missing and bring them home again," Kurohana said with a gentle smile.

Home. Ginouji's heart ached at the word. How were mother and Rain doing? Where was Seiva? How were they treating Shurika? He wished he could go home. He had never been so far away before, not for so long, but they had to do this. They had to find Shurika and bring her home again. They wouldn't leave her behind. Not ever.


	22. Going Our Seperate Ways

 

"That has to be them. No one else would be brazen enough to come to White God's Spine like this," Teresa muttered. Amai handed the long scope over so she could look through it as well. Teresa put it to her good eye and scoffed as she scanned the tent camp below the ridge they were hidden on.

"Weapons lying around on the ground or against tents? Are you kidding me?" she said in disgust. "These Freelancers can't be very good ones if they aren't at least taking more care with their equipment. Especially in temperatures like this. They need to be put away not sitting around in the snow. If a monster comes at them its going to take far too long for them to get organized," she added. Amai quietly agreed. There were about eight people down there and everything about their posture and body language was lazy and inefficient. They were relaxed and satisfied after a hard day's work and weren't being as cautious as they should be. Especially after capturing a tigrex.

"Over there at the edge of the camp. Tied between the largest trees and hooked to the ground," Amai directed. The scope swung around and Teresa whistled as she spotted the tigrex. Ropes were keeping its body tied fast between two trees and hooks driven in to the ground were tied around its head.

"The body is tied down correctly but the head isn't. They should have at least bolstered the ground hooks with tree bindings as well but anyone who actually knew what they were doing would have had chains with five foot screw poles in the ground. I can already see that its managed to pull two of the hooks halfway out of the snow," Teresa complained as she pointed down at the monster.

"I know the reports we got back said they weren't any Freelancers from around there but by Lunastra how green are these people?" Teresa said in disbelief.

"As green as spring leaves apparently," Amai echoed somberly.

A tigrex may have fearsome claws and ferocious speed but its head, jaw and neck muscles were the real danger. Few monsters on the northern continent could compare to their jaw strength. They were strong enough to get through a gammoth's tough hide and then drag it away up mountainsides to a safer place to eat. Ropes and leather straps might as well be tree branches for all the good they would do.

"Still partially drugged judging from those movements. That's the only thing that's kept it from tearing those hooks straight out of the ground and ripping all of them apart," Amai added.

"But its waking up quickly and when it does they'll be scrambling to pull their pants on and find their swords," Teresa said scornfully. "But that's not our only problem," she added handing the scope over and pointing to the other side of the camp.

"What exactly am I looking for?" Amai asked when she failed to spot anything.

"No a little more to the right, no not that far, there you go. See that gap? Keep watching it," Teresa directed.

Amai stared at it and was about to say she still didn't see anything when a small furry trunk sneaked out of the gap and felt around for a bush nearby. It found some leaves and stripped a branch clean before disappearing again. She gasped and let out a curse. Only Teresa's arm yanking her down into the snow kept her from jumping up.

"Those are baby gammoth! What are these idiots thinking! I'm surprised the herd hasn't come through and ripped the whole forest to shreds!" Amai hissed out. She wanted to march down there and tear that fence down now that she saw it but they had to be careful. Gammoth were central to her nation's continued existence and to their culture. Seeing them disrespected like this made her blood boil.

"That's a regular makeshift fence. Not pointed stakes so they must all be pretty young. Big enough to use as food for the tigrex but small enough to handle without difficulty. Smelling the tigrex nearby would be enough to keep them from calling out for help as well," Teresa said quietly.

They were distracted by a sharp snap and the loud groan of a tree followed by a very angry snarl. Teresa cursed and stood up, not bothering with stealth anymore. The tigrex had gotten one side of its head free and was quickly working on the other side. It would be free in seconds and the camp was already rushing around in chaos as they realized something was wrong.

"Amai you go after the gammoth and keep them safe. Get them out of here or they could be killed or separated in the chaos. I'll keep the tigrex occupied and try to at least drive it away from the area," Teresa ordered. She turned to go and Amai grabbed her arm.

"Listen Teresa..." Amai stopped and wrestled with what she wanted to say. "Whatever happens with Jade it was an honor to know her," she finally settled on. She still wasn't sure she believed Teresa's warning dreams but she also couldn't deny that there were a thousand ways a fight like this could go wrong. Especially with a tigrex and angry humans thrown into the mix.

Teresa gripped her shoulder tightly in a thank you before running back to where Jade and Raiden were waiting. Amai gave a sharp battle whistle and started running down the other side of the ridge towards the baby gammoth. That's what she was here for and that's what she had to stay focused on. Get them to safety first and then come back as soon as she could to support Teresa.

The sound of Raiden charging towards her got louder as Jade's roar shook the snow off the trees. Raiden slid to a stop next to her and she hesitated before grabbing her charge blade off his side attaching it to her back before running off again towards the enclosure. She had dual blades as well but if it came to a fight against a tigrex then she was going to be grateful to have the option of a shield between her and those jaws. She looked around wondering which way the opening to the enclosure was before remembering she had a zinogre standing right behind her.

The roar of a tigrex came along with human shrieks of pain and snapping trees but Raiden's attention stayed focused entirely on her. She could have kissed his muzzle for how well trained he was.

"Raiden tear!" Amai ordered him. He reared up to grab the top of one jagged post in his teeth before landing and pulling it back towards him. Squeals of surprise came from inside as Raiden tore the tree trunks out of the ground and rather easily tossed them aside. He used his paws to knock a few more out of the way.

When he was done Amai quickly hopped through the wooden debris and found three baby gammoth staring back at her. "Baby" being a relative term as all of them were already a couple inches above her head.

"Hey there little ones. I'm going to get you out of here o...oof!" Amai's reassurances were cutoff when one of the babies ran up and all but smashed its head into her chest. It backed up and lifted its trunk to bump at her throat.

Quickly Amai reached up and pulled out the necklace she always wore. Braided gammoth hair with a little gammoth made of wood hanging from it. To its left was an ice halk made of crystal and on the right was a zinogre shaped from ivory with little chips of lifecrystal for eyes. She'd had it for years although the zinogre was more recent addition.

It was the gammoth pendant that had drawn the baby to her like a moth to a flame and it gingerly bumped the wooden figure now. All those in her nation wore them as the scent from the wood and the oil they regularly polished them with lingered for a long time. The gammoth matriarchs had long since learned that humans who wore that scent could be trusted to help in times of need even if they sometimes hunted larger and older members of the herd.

"Looks like someone has been teaching you little ones already. That's right your safe with me," Amai cooed. She carefully reached into her pocket and pulled out a bar of nuts and berries pressed together with honey. She broke pieces off and fed them to each gammoth as the others worked up the courage to come closer to her.

Getting them to actually leave the pen was a different matter however as they did not at all trust Raiden. It took a lot of prompting, some rather useless attempts at shoving, and finally a thorough sniffing to ensure that the scent on Amai was the same one on this giant predator. Once one got up the courage to leave the others hurried along so as not to be left behind. The sound of two monsters fighting was starting to intensify and Raiden looked over towards the flashes of fire and crashing trees before turning back to her.

As much as Amai wanted to go back and help Teresa fight she really should get the gammoth away first. Reluctantly she got up on Raiden's back and told him to set out through the snow. It only took a moment's hesitation and another roar from the tigrex before one squealed in fright and charged after Raiden so it wouldn't be left behind. The others hurried along as well pressing in at his sides.

_Hang on Teresa. I'll be back for you. I promise._

* * *

It was only a few hours after they decided to travel with the humans that they came across Seiva lying on the bank of the river. As Ginouji swooped down lower he was worried they were too late. That the bad people had gotten to him first. A powerful blast of lightning shooting by his wing quickly dissuaded him of that idea. Akairo called out Seiva's name urgently as Ginouji pulled up sharply and dove to avoid another blast. There was a pause and then a curious rumble.

Ginouji echoed Seiva's name call as they circled overhead. Now Seiva called back with a happy and inviting roar. They flew closer and hovered above the edge of the river before landing. Seiva hissed and lashed his tail in warning as the humans Kuro and Shiro came up behind them with their own monsters.

"Friends from Guild like mmother was. Help find Shurika," Akairo explained. Craning his neck up to look down on them Seiva snorted snapped his jaws. Fine, but they had to stay away.

"No closer," Ginouji warned them in case they didn't get the point. Kurohana bowed and the flying monster she was on took a few steps back.

Seiva was curled up by the edge looking like had been in a fight. However, all of his wounds had closed up and he didn't seem too hurt, so why was he still here? Akairo asked him as much with an inquiring gurgle along with Shurika's name call and a snarl towards the river. Now Seiva arched his neck and sparking and humming as he uncurled his body to show them the small collection of eggs he was guarding. They were sitting in a human made basket and packed with leaves and some mud.

He stretched his neck out towards the river and let off sparks and roars of challenge. He made a smashing motion with his tail and bobbed his head towards a smashed boat that they could now see had been thrown up into the trees. Seiva grunted in surprise at the eggs and then weaved his head back and forth before snarling and biting as if to chase something off. Then he let out a mournful tone as he stretched his head out towards the river and called for Shurika.

Both of them lowered their heads and hummed in sympathy at his explanation but Ginouji turned his head back to explain knowing the humans wouldn't have understood.

"Found boat of bad humans. Fought them and found the eggs. Had to decide if kill them or let them go. Stayed with eggs and ran humans off but couldn't go after Shurika. Not willing to leave eggs alone," Ginouji explained. Kurohana turned to speak with her brother quietly before turning back to them.

"We can't leave him here. Those eggs need to get to safety. What do you want to do?" she asked. That was a problem.

"Seiva not able carry eggs alone. Must go back home. One of us go back with him. You go back with him," Akairo said quietly. Ginouji's head snapped towards him. He couldn't have been more surprised if his brother had fireblasted him in the face. Akairo growled at him before he could object.

"Mother hurting. Rain hurting. Shurika gone. Seiva gone. Us gone. Jasper dead. Bad days come back again and not leave this time. Mother hurt if I leave, hurt more if you do. Always favorite," Akairo told him. Ginouji flinched at those words and looked away as his brother came over and rested his head down on his neck. He was asking, but not demanding, submission.

Mother had always treated them well and loved them as much as she could. She always made sure to give both of them the attention they needed but even so Akairo was right. Ginouji had always been mother's favorite and he always would be. She would be devastated if Akairo didn't come back, but to lose Ginouji would hurt her far more.

"Mother hurt if I go. Hurt worse if you go. Bad days still come and mother feel worse for missing you with me safe," Akairo told him. Ginouji closed his eyes but he couldn't hide from the truth. If Akairo went back home with Seiva then mother would be happy he was there but she would still miss him. Even worse she would fall even deeper into her dark place because she was still upset over Ginouji instead of being happy Akairo was safe with her.

"Don't make mother hurt more. I go with humans. Find Shurika and bring back. You go with Seiva. Let mothers know what happened," Akairo told him. Reluctantly Ginouji bowed his head, letting his jaw scrape the dirt in submission. He hated this idea but his brother was right and he would obey. He was needed at home and Seiva couldn't do this by himself. Akairo would leave with the humans to find Shurika and when he did he would come home together with her. However long it took.

"Could already be at ocean. Could be long gone," Ginouji whispered.

"Then cross big water to bring her home. Notcome back without knowing where Shurika go. Not want Rain to suffer again. I'll come home. See you again," Akairo said with a deep thrum of affection. Ginouji returned the gesture and let his eyes drift shut as he enjoyed what might be the last moments he had with his brother for a long, long time to come.

* * *

Teresa didn't like this. She didn't like this one bit. Jade hissed and swung her head left and right searching for the tigrex. They had chased it deep into White God's Spine into a ravine that had gone farther and farther down, widening out even as until the top of the ridge drew closer and closer until the bright moonlight was just a tiny sliver shimmering down around her. Teresa walked tentatively next to Jade listening closely for something other then the crunch of her footsteps or the skitter of rocks on ice.

She was tempted to try and light a torch but didn't want to draw more attention. Then again if it drew the tigrex to them they could get this over with sooner. For now though she gripped her bow tightly keeping an arrow notched just in case.

Jade hummed and called to her. Teresa hurried up to her head and saw Jade staring down at some tigrex tracks boldy outlined in the snow along with claw scrapes in the ice. They led ahead and off to the right.

"Straight into a giant ominous cave," Teresa mumbled as she craned her neck to peer ahead. She carefully crept forward with Jade beside her until they were close enough to peer around the edge. The snow and rocks gave way to a tunnel of pure ice as far as she could see. She looked left and saw a similar tunnel with pure smooth ice covering the walls and ceiling.

Frowning, Teresa crouched down and scrapped at the ice with the tip of her arrow. This wasn't naturally forming ice from exposure, snow, or a long dry river. This was a monster's ice beam and not a small one either judging from how big this tunnel was. 

Ukanlos.

It dug underground carving through ice as it went or through rock and covering the tunnel it left behind in ice as it had done here. This must be one of its pathways. Teresa quietly thought that it was a shame Amai couldn't be here to see this as well. Then again she might prefer to stay as far as way from this place as possible.

Jade hissed and stalked inside leaving Teresa to grimace and hurry along after her. Of course the tigrex had gone in here. Why not?

The dreams she had been having were still clear in her mind. A field of snow before a wall of ice with the ground trembling and rocking underneath her as if something was fighting to get out. Jade and a monster fighting in a snowstorm. Jade roaring at Teresa to fire. Fire an arrow and destroy the wall. Teresa hesitating because she knew it would be the death of Jade if she did. A blast of fire as Jade blasted and tore at the ice wall weakening it but not bringing it down. She wasn't strong enough on her own.  She needed her partner but Teresa couldn't, wouldn't move. The ground roared as a mountain peak rose up underneath then, swallowing Jade, the monsters, and shattering the earth around them bringing death to everything it touched.

Teresa shivered and looked around her. This was certainly a wall of ice and Ukanlos _was_ referred to in stories as a mountain at times. The surroundings may be different from her dream but the meaning was clear. Jade was all too willing to give her life if it meant keeping her partner safe. It was Teresa who refused to accept it and in doing so wasted not only her rathian's sacrifice but lost her own life and cost others theirs as well.

_That was a warning so when the time came I wouldn't hesitate. So that Jade's life would be worth something. Toa Tesukatora I pray that you see her sacrifice and allow Jade to be remembered among the snow and stars,_ Teresa quietly asked. Emotion welled up in her throat as she watched Jade search diligently for danger. This was it. She could feel it even if Amai didn't totally believe her. Sure Amai tried her best to be respectful but Teresa could still tell she wasn't convinced. Still her quiet support and comfort had been a big help these past few days.

A long scrape of claws on ice and Jade suddenly pulling back were the only warnings she got before the tigrex leapt out from the shadows and slammed into Jade.

"Get off her!" Teresa screamed as the tigrex pinned her by the neck trying to choke the rathian to death. Pulling the arrow back she let it fly the tigrex screaming as it was hit in the side giving Jade a chance to throw it off and then bring her talons around and kick it straight in the chest throwing it against the tunnel wall.

The tigrex got up but staggered and shook its head. Poison. Jade's poison spurs must have hit home. However poison wasn't going to stop a tigrex right away. It ripped the arrow out and snapped it in half with powerful jaws. Burning eyes turned to Teresa and it crouched down ready to pounce on her. Just as it took off in a leap, Jade flew in wings spread to slam the tigrex against the wall. Cracks shot out all along the wall crawling up to the ceiling and floor.

Teresa felt a rumble under her feet as the tigrex roar echoed through the tunnel making her flinch from how loud it was. The rumbling returned rising and falling in waves. Only it didn't feel like an earthquake. _Ukanlos_ , Teresa thought as she realized it wasn't the earth around her rumbling but a monster's irritated growl somewhere under her feet. The noise was waking him up.

The tigrex pushed back against Jade, throwing her off balance and catching one of her wings in its claws as she fell to the ground. It snapped its head to the side breaking her wing and digging its claws into Jade's leg.

"No!" Teresa begged as the Jade screamed in pain and fought to get up but the tigrex was all over her. It grabbed one of her legs in its jaws and continued to try and drag her away.

"Leave her alone!" Teresa demanded fumbling around for another arrow but the ground was shaking and throwing off her balance.

Jade snarled whipping her tail around and stabbing the tigrex in the side with her tail spikes. It yelped and was forced to back off allowing Jade to push it away. She snarled and blew fire at it forcing it backwards as the heat melted the ice around them. Shards started to sprinkle down at first before turning into a shower of ice chips. Rocks above groaned as the melting ice caused them to start slipping against each other and the ground heaved up suddenly throwing Teresa to her knees.

The tigrex stood up but then collapsed again as the poison did its work. Jade too was struggling to get up but her back leg didn't look like it was working and blood was pouring from it staining the floor red. The ground was cracking apart so badly Teresa fell the second she tried to stand up again. Slowly, painfully, Jade managed to drag herself over to Teresa and to her surprise roughly pushed her huge head against Teresa's chest shoving her backwards. Jade barked at her and shoved her again hard enough that Teresa knew it would leave a bruise.

"I can't just..." Teresa broke off as she remembered her dream and remembered how her hesitation had gotten her killed even as Jade sacrificed her life to save her partner. She had to go. She had to run and Jade couldn't come with her. A broken wing could be a death sentence for any monster but for one as old as Jade? Not to mention her ruined leg. The rathian would never fly again, not with her wing snapped the way it was and with her leg hurt she wouldn't be able to walk properly or hunt on the ground for herself. Jade knew that and she knew this tunnel was coming down around them. She couldn't save herself but she could save her partner. Teresa stopped fighting and threw her arms around Jade's head.

"I love you Jade. I love you so much," she choked out through her tears. Jade thrummed deeply to her in reply, affirming her love in return before pushing at her again. This time Teresa didn't object. She pushed away and started running as the parts of the ground broke beneath her sliding down to reveal a silvery, white carapace and a jagged, ridged fin. Ukanlos was directly beneath her. It likely used this tunnel to travel through and came up from the ground into it whenever it needed to go somewhere faster.

Teresa looked back to see Jade roaring and breathing fire at the ice around her. She slammed her good side into the wall and tore at it with her fangs trying to break through. She was trying to bring the walls down but with her ruined leg and broken wing she simply wasn't strong enough.

_Don't hesitate._

The floor rocked again from side to side as another low angry rumble came from Ukanlos.

Teresa furiously wiped at her tears as she grabbed an arrow and scraped it around her in a circle the sparks from the rocks igniting the fuse at the end. Pulling it back as hard as she could she sent it flying letting the arrow fly until it impaled the wall and exploded shattering rocks and throwing ice and frost into the air. Rocks groaned and fell loose bouncing off Jade's head. The rathian roared and gathered her strength into one last effort before body slamming the wall again. This time the vibration was enough. Ukanlos digging had left tons upon tons of rubble ready to come crashing down. Only its ice beam sealing the tunnel had kept that from happening but now that ice was melted or shattered in large patches.

There was a moment of deep and profound silence in which the only sound was Teresa's feet as she started to scramble and run away as fast as her legs could carry her. Then there was a roar unlike anything she had ever heard before. Not from a monster, but from the earth itself as the ceiling collapsed and the walls caved in. Jade and a fumbling tigrex falling under a cascade of rubble was the last thing she saw before the dust swirled in to block everything.

It was a struggle not to look back and try to catch one last desperate glimpse of Jade but Teresa resolutely kept her eyes ahead and kept running even as her chest and eyes burned from the dust. It wasn't until her leg got caught in a deep snow drift that Teresa realized she had made it out of the tunnel and was halfway across the ravine and heading towards the other tunnel. Dust was pouring out in a cloud all around her and more rocks were shaking loose from the walls of the ravine.

_No time to stop. Got to keep going,_ Teresa grimaced and coughed from the dust. She pulled her scarf up around her nose and mouth and started running again this time back the way they came initially into the ravine and more conscious of deep snow drifts.

Rocks skittered down from the walls as smaller slides were triggered from the explosions and shaking. When Teresa was finally far enough to feel safe she slowed down and then collapsed to her knees in the snow. She could feel something moving underground. Vibrations and rumbling spreading out as its great bulk shifted. Ukanlos. It had to be. The question was had she done it? Had she acted in time to stop it?

Teresa held her breath and listened, waiting with baited breath as there was a distinct pause. A low moan drifted up through the night air before the rumbling and shaking continued this time moving away. It faded until only the faint shiver of snowflakes on the rocks were left as evidence that anything had occurred. It was gone and it had been going deeper into White God's Spine instead of south towards the trade roads and winter settlements. She... they had done it. Jade had not only saved her life, but the lives of innocents who had no idea how close they could have come to death tonight.

Teresa let her head fall back as tears leaked from her eyes. She had dreamed of this moment every night for weeks. Felt it in her bones at every waking moment but now... now it didn't seem real. Thirteen years and just like that Jade was gone forever.

She had no idea how long she sat there on her knees before the snow started to fall lightly from the sky. She didn't feel the tickle along her neck as a thunderbug snuck out from the folds of her coat and flew away into the night while another crawled to the outside of her collar and started letting out a steady electrical pulse. She was barely aware of the howl that echoed down the ravine and the glowing trail of light and electricity that was coming towards her. It wasn't until they surrounded her that Teresa blinked rapidly and stood up. Her legs frozen stiff and asleep from how long she had been motionless. Thunderbugs surrounded her sparking and blinking rapidly as the crunch of heavy footsteps in the snow approached.

"Teresa!"

She looked up and saw Raiden running towards her with Amai on his back. Part of her brain picked up on the fact that no gammoth were following. Amai must have found a safe place for them to stay while she came searching for her.

"You found me?" Teresa managed to choke out as Raiden came to a stop. Amai slid down Raiden's side and ran over to her.

"Of course I did. I would have tracked you across White God's Spine a thousand times if I had to," Amai said quietly. Most of the thunderbugs had retreated to the warm comfort of Raiden's fur and scales but a few still drifted around them throwing off light. Shivering Teresa turned back to stare but the dust had already been blown away by the wind and the moonlight was faint.

"I... I saw Ukanlos. He was right beneath me and... and I had to get out but Jade was hurt and... and she couldn't walk or fly so she... she. She's gone and I couldn't... I had to go so I..." Teresa's voice cracked as she tried to explain but the right words just wouldn't come out. Amai reached out and gently put an arm around her shoulders.

"Hey, lets go with Raiden go back someplace warm okay? Then you can tell me what happened whenever you're ready to. Okay?" Amai said softly.

Teresa could only nod weakly as Amai guided her back to Raiden's side. The zinogre crouched down allowing Amai to help her up onto his back before she got on in front. She wrapped her arms around Amai's waist and let her head fall to her shoulder. Memory of Jade's deep thrum of affection still vibrated in her chest as tears finally started to fall from her eyes.


	23. Patience

 

Amai stretched her legs out and wiggled her feet a bit. She was used to riding on Raiden's back for long hours but it still got to be a bit much sometimes. Teresa hadn't complained yet but Amai could feel her fidgeting occasionally from her seat behind her. They were actually a bit overdue for a break but the gammoth herd they were tracking couldn't be far ahead of them now.

"Do you want to take a break? I know riding on a zinogre's back is a lot different from a rathian," Amai offered gently. Behind her Teresa shook her head in refusal and fell silent again. There was no reason to fill the air with empty words or platitudes especially when it was barely three days since Jade's death. Teresa needed time to grieve and Amai wasn't going to disturb that unless she felt ready to speak up first.

"Shouldn't be more then an hour until we find the herd. We'll get back to the main road and find a place to stop for the day after that," Amai offered. On his own Raiden could have caught up to the herd much faster but the baby gammoth trailing behind him had much shorter legs. They were used to walking long distances though so not stopping didn't bother them very much. At this time of year they would have already been learning to eat as they traveled rather then stopping whenever they wanted like in the summer months.

Raiden's horde of thunderbugs also helped keep the babies together and stopped them from wandering off and getting lost. As big as the babies were already the thunderbugs warning zaps were more annoying then anything. Still it was enough to give Amai peace of mind so she didn't have to keep looking back to check on them while Raiden focused on tracking.

"I can't stop thinking about it," Teresa said suddenly. Her voice, soft as it was, still seemed loud against the quiet snow. "I know what my dream told me but... did I really help to stop Ukanlos? Or did I just leave Jade to die?" she asked.

Amai grimaced at that question. It wasn't an easy one and she didn't blame Teresa for doubting herself.

"There's a story we have about a battle between Akantor and Ukanlos," Amai began. "Ukanlos in his arrogance sought to fight Akantor in his own home. He wanted to unseat the Black God and take his territory for himself. Both of them raged and fought each other for days on end neither one able to get the upper hand. Ukanlos fought to cover the world in ice and snow, Akantor in fire and heat. But Ukanlos couldn't get past Akantor's tough hide and Akantor in turn couldn't melt the White God's powerful ice. So on and on they raged until Akantor seemed to flag and burrowed underground to escape. Ukanlos knew he had won and his roar of victory cracked the earth but his celebration was premature," she paused briefly to let the moment hang dramatically.

"Akantor had noticed something in their fight. Ukanlos was mighty but he always attacked from the front. He never tried to get behind him or even attack from the side. You see Ukanlos for all his power and strength has one glaring weakness. He's too large to make fast turns to the side and his spikes are designed for moving forward through the ice and rock not backwards," Amai explained.

"So Akantor shook the earth below Ukanlos feet, sending up pillars of lava so the White God wouldn't be able to sense him underground. Then he sprang up from behind and grabbed Ukanlos' tail in his mighty jaws. Unable to turn around far enough all Ukanlos could do was drag him forward, plunging in and out of the earth until mountains shattered in his wake. Ukanlos dragged Akantor all the way to the top of the world where the cold was too much even for the Black God to endure. Akantor retreated at the edge of the glaciers, warning Ukanlos that next time he would take his tail as a trophy. It's taught to us both as history and as a warning about not dismissing our weaknesses because of overconfidence," Amai concluded.

There was a moment of silence as Teresa thought about that before speaking up.

"Covering tunnels in ice doesn't just provide support to prevent cave ins it also helps keep Ukanlos spikes from getting caught on the rocks above. The ice allows him to move forward or back if necessary. When Jade and I collapsed the tunnel... there was nowhere for him to go but forward and if he circled around to find us we would have been gone already," Teresa realized.

"So there wouldn't have been anything else around for him to attack and no reason to stay angry enough to hunt down anyone else near his territory," Amai finished. For a long while Teresa was silent as she thought that over.

"So Jade and I... we really did stop him from killing people?" Teresa asked hesitantly.

"You did. You most certainly did," Amai confirmed.

"I really miss her," Teresa said softly.

"So do I," Amai sympathized. They were interrupted by a deep roar that shook the trees. Behind them the baby gammoth bleated in excitement and went charging past Raiden's legs.

"Looks like the herd has come to meet us," Amai said as the trees ahead started swaying slightly. She ordered Raiden to stop and they waited as the herd appeared through the trees with the babies rushing over to meet them.

The herd matriarch was in front and quickly ushered the babies deeper into the group of adults. The mothers groaned in relief and held their babies close, sniffing them over and feeling them with their trunks to make sure they were safe. Once all the babies were safe and the matriarch was satisfied she lumbered over towards them. Amai could feel Raiden's body tensing up underneath her.

"Easy. Stay calm," she ordered. He rumbled in discontent but stayed still as the matriarch sniffed him over with her trunk and then lifted it to sniff Amai as well. She reached into her jacket and pulled the wooden charm out of her shirt layers. The gammoth matriarch inhaled the scent deeply before reaching out to rest her trunk on Amai's shoulder and down her back. Just like she would do with a trusted herd member.

"She's recognizing and acknowledging me as an ally. That's why we wear these wooden pendants around our necks all the time. The gammoth matriarchs know the scent and know the humans who wear them are friends. Even when we have a large predator like a zinogre with us," Amai explained to Teresa in a soft voice. The matriarch put her trunk on Raiden's head as well before backing up and returning to the herd.

"What about people who try to deceive them?" Teresa asked.

"Gammoth have excellent memories. Just as good if not better then ours in fact. We get our wooden charms made as toddlers and are introduced to the wild herds as little children. Matriarchs learn who we are and see us every year as we grow up. This one here is Ishana. She's been around our lands for 60 years or so and has been training her second oldest daughter to take over for her. Even if its been years since I was back, Ishana would still recognize me over some stranger trying to pass themselves off," Amai said.

Ishana bellowed to the herd gathering them up before leading them off through the forest. Amai sighed and stuffed her necklace back into her shirt. She had passed her adulthood rites. Now to get home and tell everyone the good and the bad news. She whistled a command and Raiden shook himself off and turned to head back towards the main road.

"Teresa... I don't know what your plans are or if you have any at all. I mean with Jade's death being so recent and all but..." Amai paused and anxiously adjusted her scarf as she thought about what to say. "But you're my friend and my partner. I'll always want you here to help if you're able to give it," she finished. She wanted Teresa to know that she still had a place here at her side and with the Guild Scouts but she didn't want to pressure her into feeling like she had to stay either.

"Thank you," Teresa said gratefully. "I've been preparing myself mentally for this day and even told the Guild school instructors about Jade's age but actually being here now dealing with it is..." she trailed off and was quiet for a while as Raiden picked his way through some deeper snow drifts.

"Its hard and part of me honestly wants to stay up here with my family and hide away from it all. But the other part of me wants to go back to the Guild School. This is what I really want to do and when the time is right I can learn to fly again with a new partner, but leaving now could mean years before I get to go and finish my training again. I don't want to do that. Not after how far Jade and I got already," Teresa told her.

Amai relaxed a bit at that information.

"There is a place called Yukumo Village in the Misty Peaks region. I have some friends there I wanted to visit with before going back to the Guild School. They have monster partners as well and even with the extra time we've taken here there should be enough time to relax and recover there for a bit," Amai suggested.

"I'd like that. It will take a couple extra days to complete but there are funeral rites that have to be done for Jade first. Primarily for immediate family only and somewhat religious so... I mean... you aren't really expected to be there. Not that I wouldn't want you there its just... well," Teresa said her words slowing down awkwardly at the end.

"Its okay. To be honest you would be politely but firmly rebuffed if you tried to join me during my adulthood confirmation ceremony as well. That will only take a few hours though so the other days I'll take care of all our travel registration and plans with the Guild and make sure the ship is prepared and fully supplied for our trip back. We gave ourselves extra time just in case something came up. Take however much time you need," Amai assured her. She could feel Teresa relax behind her.

"Thanks for understanding. I've been thinking of a way to tell you but didn't want you to get upset," Teresa admitted.

"If I was going to get upset enough to leave it would have happened after the week the instructors put us together as roommates at the school," Amai teased.

"I wasn't that ba... okay yeah I was that bad. But thanks for putting up with me anyway even when I act like the annoying older sister you never wanted," Teresa said gratefully.

"Anytime, Teresa, anytime."

She whistled to Raiden and he shifted into a faster run as he broke back out onto the main trail. It would take over a week to get back to the port. Amai wondered if a new letter from Alistair and Rain would be there when they got back. At least they had to be doing well. Right?

* * *

"Thanks for being here," Alistair said gratefully to Avira. Sundan and Avira They were the hunters who had been helping to train Ginouji and Akairo to fight and protect themselves. Only now they were here for a much more somber occasion.

"We didn't know Jasper like you did but it still hurts to see a creature treated like that. But I'm sure you know the Guild won't let this go. They'll find the criminals who did it and put a stop to what's going on," Avira assured her. Deep frown lines crossed her warm brown skin as she adjusted the bandanna holding her braids back.

"You don't have to do this for us," Alistair told her again. Not far away Sundan already had a shovel in hand and was standing by moving dirt into a pile as Quake dug a deeper hole with his wings and horns. Avira just shrugged.

"Honestly its better then just standing around feeling guilty. We're hunters. We're supposed to stop things like this from happening but now..." she stopped and shook her head.

"Now Jasper's gone," Alistair said softly. Rain was behind them crouched down next to Jasper's sheet covered body. She had wanted a few minutes alone to say goodbye and they had willingly granted that to her.

"Did they say what happened?" Avira asked quietly.

"Heart attack. The stress and shock of capture was already too much for him but being held by the Guild as well didn't help. I mean we know they were just trying their best to help and normally he would as well. But in that state there wasn't much else they could do. He was too badly hurt to release and in too much of a panic to risk being in contact with civilians," Alistair explained. She rubbed her eyes, more from exhaustion then anything else.

"How are you?" Avira said nudging her arm.

"Honestly? Too exhausted emotionally to feel much of anything right now. Jasper's dead, Seiva's gone, Shurika's gone, Ginouji and Akairo went to find them and we don't know when they'll be back again. Rain is about ready to collapse because she's not only worrying about them but stressing out about how this is affecting me as well," Alistair admitted.

"We've gotten some rumors about Ginouji and Akairo being spotted but the Guild office here is still working to substantiate them. In the meantime there's nothing we can do but just sit around and hope something better happens," she added tiredly.

"I know a lot is going on right now but you and Rain really need to take a day for yourselves and just yourselves. Even if you sit around reading a book all day just do something together. You'll both be better for it and it will help take your minds off all this while you wait for more information to come through," Avira suggested.

"You're absolutely right. Its just hard to get up the motivation to do anything other then just sit around and mope but we do need to take a day for ourselves. Just waiting and imagining all the things that could have gone wrong certainly isn't helping," Alistair said with a heavy sigh.

"Hey, you raised your boys well. Both of them are the smartest rathalos I've ever seen that's for sure. I'm sure some concrete news about them will get back here before you know it," Avira said supportively.

"I hope so. The Guild is going to contact a friend of ours named Amai. She's training with the Guild Scouts and all the monsters, except Quake, know who she is and they know her zinogre Raiden as well. The Guild office says there's already a pair of Scouts in the area that are being contacted but I'm hoping that maybe Amai will be able to help also. It would put both of our minds at ease if she was," Alistair confessed.

"Hey, how are they doing?" Rain said walking up to them. Alistair reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist to comfort her. Rain's somber expression softened into open gratitude. Avira politely excused herself and went to stand with her husband.

"Almost ready. How are you?" Alistair asked gently.

"Not good. This whole thing reminds me far too much of what happened with Sakala and Storm. Even though she doesn't remember what happened Narane's constant offers to help us are just making things even more conflicting," Rain said with a pained grimace.

"Avira suggested we spend a day together to help try and get our minds off worrying for a bit. How does that sound? Just the two of us tomorrow? The Guild office said they won't have any information for at least three more days and a letter is already on its way to Amai that will take at least a week to get there even being rushed at top priority," Alistair told her. Rain relaxed and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I'd really like that. I feel like I've been doing nothing but bounce back and forth between worrying about so many different things. It would be nice to just spend time together and get back on our feet emotionally while things get sorted out," Rain admitted.

"There's not much we can do and I hate it. But sitting around wallowing in how miserable I am isn't going to bring us news any faster either. I need to get out of the house for my own mental health even if I really don't want to," Alistair admitted. Rain squeezed her tighter at those words.

"We'll spend the day in town tomorrow. Visit some of the shops we've never been in, look around at the bookstore, visit the hot springs and the beach, just being able to stop worrying obsessively for a few hours sounds wonderful. I've been so worried about you," Rain admitted. Alistair pulled back and reached up to stroke her cheek.

"Whatever happens we'll find out soon all right? Its not going to be like what happened with Storm. I'm right here with you and that's where I'm going to stay. It is hard for me right now but we'll get through this together and if I feel I can't handle it then we'll get help just like before all right?" Alistair promised her. Rain nodded and leaned forward to rest her head against Alistair's.

"I just want them to be okay, I want you to be okay, I want to at least be able to do something to help you and I feel like I'm failing at that too," Rain confessed.

"You aren't failing me. You're trying as best you can and I know how much pressure you're under right now. Not knowing and not being able to do anything hurts but until we know more we have to stick together okay? That's what tomorrow is for. Not just you but both of us. I'm worried about you too," Alistair reminded her. Rain gave her a smile, the first one she'd shown in days.

"Thanks. I need that reminder sometimes and I'll try to do better about stepping back and letting you take care of me as well. For now lets take care of Jasper. I want to write a letter to Aureus in Tanzia Port as well. The entire research center will want to know what happened to him," Rain added.

"We can send them that painting I did of Jasper last year from the living room along with a letter. I know they'll appreciate it and I have other color sketches and smaller paintings. I can make up a new one to hang there," Alistair offered. She stood beside Rain and watched somberly as they prepared to bury Jasper.

"The Guild will find who did this. Whatever it takes. They won't let people get away with stealing and killing monsters like this," Alistair murmured.

"They'd better. Because if the Guild doesn't then Shurika will."

* * *

"Did anyone see Nash last night? He went to feed the beast but no one seems to have seen him since then," the muscular pale skinned human bellowed out. His skin reminded her of the ugly fish down in the deeps that always clustered around the light she produced. Pale, not like a few of the others who were red and sweating but from the lack of sun and sitting around inside relaxing.

He reminded Shurika of the sharq's she used to see around her territory back out in the ocean. Always ready to snap at something to prove how tough they were right up until she snapped them in half for dinner. Some creatures simply didn't realized when they were outclassed.

The human turned to glare at her and Shurika just blinked calmly as he walked right up and leaned in close to her nose. She could have laughed. The only reason he did it was to show off. To show that he was tougher and braver then the other humans he commanded. He was about as tough as the seaweed she used to make a nest back in the deeps. True strength didn't require showing off in order to prove it.

"You're sure the beast was tied up properly?" he asked suspiciously.

"Checked every rope three times myself sir. I was with him when he fed the beast. Everything was properly tightened as you require. Nothing out of place while she was fed. I heard him say he was going to take a smoke break and that was the last I saw him," a light brown skinned human with thick chin fur told him.

"I remember that. I asked about Nash when you got back and you said he was out smoking. Might be a monster got him. They say that gobul are in these waters and they love to lure people in," a different human male pointed out. His pale skin was red from the sun and he kept looking over at Shurika nervously. She just narrowed her eyes at him until he looked away.

The leader hummed and pulled on the one around her nose just in case. Shurika may be tied down but her electricity was still flowing freely. She considered turning him to ash but restrained herself. Instead she let it crackle out around in warning. An undirected blast would still kill anyone it touched and this human knew it. He just wanted to show off.

"I did see a half full bottle of Argosy rum hidden under in his sleeping mat. We all know how powerful that stuff is. Might have drank too much, went to piss and... well accidents happen on the river all the time. Not a one of us who hasn't heard of someone drowning over a simple mistake," a human female pointed out. She at least had the sense to smear some type of gel on her face to keep it from peeling even if the smell of it make Shurika's nose wrinkle.

"We'll make one last search of the area. Take some harpooners to search the river for a mile both ways. If we don't find him or his body we'll keep moving!" the leader bellowed out. He made a grand show of turning his back to her and walking away. He knew she couldn't move to attack him. Not yet at least.

Shurika snorted and slid her eyes over to the brown skinned man. The same one who earlier yesterday had loosened the ropes on her neck when no one was looking. Not enough to be noticed but enough to allow her to lift her head back when this "Nash" had come and unbound her jaws so she could be fed. Just enough room to allow her to reach out and kill the human trying to feed her with a single snap of her jaws. Just enough to make sure there was no evidence left behind.

The brown skinned human had then carefully, slowly pulled all the ropes taut again by using the long metal hooks the leader had given them for the task. She then saw him grab a bottle and walk off. A bottle of the smelly stuff humans loved to drink that made them act stupid when they had too much. 

The only question was why?

Shurika didn't trust any of the humans here but she would be keeping her eyes on that one. She just had to be patient. No matter how careful these humans were they would all slip up eventually. When that time came she had to be ready and to be ready for that moment she first had to wait. Mother Rain told her once that even the shyest fish would swim right through her jaws eventually if she sat still long enough.

Shurika knew how to be patient and how wait for the right moment to come. In the meantime she knew her eggs were safe with Seiva. So until the moment came she would sit here and watch. But when the time finally for her revenge she was going to enjoy tearing them all to pieces.


	24. Allies

 

Shurika felt mild curiosity as the humans quietly approached her. The electrical signals they gave off were painfully easy to pick up so she wasn't sure what the point of their sneaking around was. Maybe they didn't want to be noticed by the other humans who were sleeping.

"I hope you realize how dangerous this is." A male voice. The human who had been assigned to watch over her. The same one who had kept quiet days before when Nash went missing.

"I am not the one who insists on complaining the entire time." A female voice. One Shurika didn't recognize.

"We have to be quick. You can't be seen here and I'm not sure how she'll react to you," he hissed in warning.

" _She_  already knows I'm here. All lagiacrus hunt by following electrical signals prey give off. She probably felt me a mile away," she replied.

Shurika opened her eyes and watched silently as the two humans approached. The man was nervously looking around and the woman, a Guild Hunter, was walking ahead of him. She stopped dead in her tracks when she locked eyes with Shurika and let out a series of strong passionate words.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? What's wrong! She's an Abyssal Lagiacrus that's what's wrong! You conveniently left that detail out of your report!" she snarled at him.

"I told you it was a black one didn't I?" he said defensively.

"Ivory Lagiacrus are normally white and don't experience albinism like normal Lagiacrus and other monsters do. Instead they experience melanism or extreme darkening of their hide. In rare cases, one out of hundreds of thousands, an Ivory Lagiacrus will be born entirely black. There's one that used to live in this area that left a few months ago. That's the one I thought you meant. Not an Abyssal one tied up to be carried off by poachers!" she told him. Shurika perked up at that word. She wasn't sure what that last word meant but it clearly wasn't anything they liked.

"I repeat, what difference does it make?" he asked her more impatiently this time.

"It makes a difference because we've been suspecting for a long time that rare subspecies are being caught and transferred to a different arena once the transport ships land at Reaper's Cove. One besides the arena we've been watching. One we haven't been able to successfully track down yet due to only having whispers and rumors to go off of," she snapped at him.

Now he spat out a word and looked frustrated and upset.

"Exactly. So the difference means that we can't just free her and let her go swim away into the night right here and now. It means she needs to stay here, with these poachers, alive and safe, until we can figure out where their second arena is in the East and if they have any more. That means you have to stay undercover until they get there," she explained.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know the difference would matter," he said softly. The female took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I know. You've been undercover for a long time already, but this is why we need specifics. Even tiny details like the shiny luster of her back scales, her always charged electrical state and the blue inside of her mouth would have made a big difference. I thought they had captured the wild, color mutated variant who moved but is still occasionally spotted around here. I didn't think they were bold enough to try and capture her. This Abyssal lagiacrus is a Guild protected individual from the Yukumo area and they took her right from under our noses. This also means other protected, civilian owned monsters could have been captured instead of killed or escaped like we've thought. They don't have the same reaction to humans that wild monsters do," she said while writing something down.

"So what now?"

"Now I record every detail as fast as I can and report back to the Guild before I get caught. I don't know who she belongs to exactly but every Guild post in a two hundred mile radius knows she's not to be hunted. We have to find out who her registered owner is and let them know whats going on as well as send an official Guild Scout pair out to track these poachers as well, " she explained. Already the female was taking out large paper from her bag and writing furiously on it.

"You stay here, keep watch, and then we'll go our separate ways. You know how to contact us but once you hit Reaper's Coast it will be different. I'll scramble whatever Guild Scouts I can find but they'll be trailing behind you by days at the very least and that could grow once you get to sea," she said still writing quickly.

Shurika groaned deeply and let out a heavy sigh. So these humans were with the Guild and that meant they really were trying to help her. But they couldn't let her go tonight. Not when there might be other monsters somewhere who had been taken and were waiting to be freed as well. Monsters they clearly didn't know how to find yet. The female looked up and her eyes softened.

"I'm sorry we can't let you go but we won't forget about you. Promise. You'll just have to be patient for a bit longer," she said softly.

Shurika grumbled at that and settled down. If she had to be patient then she would be patient. But before she was truly free she would make sure each and everyone one of these "poachers" got what they deserved.

* * *

Rain could still hear Alistair talking with the Guild representative who had knocked on the door but she wasn't listening. All she could focus on was the letter in her hands explaining what had happened. It was clearly written by two different people. The first paragraph was brief and wrote in short, hurried sentences. The second slowed down to explain things a bit more.

_Poachers confirmed. Abyssal Lagicarus captured alive. Being transported swiftly by river. Suspected destination overseas. Contact made with red and silver rathalos along the river. Red rathalos, Akairo, to remain with us. Silver rathalos, Ginouji to return with ivory lagiacrus. Further details to come._

_Two Guild Scouts confirmed to have stopped in the village of Aoi no Mori. Written Search and Recover contract was made and officially signed under the watch of a local Guild Captain. Confirmed sighting of local protected rathalos, Ginouji and Akairo as well as the protected lagiacrus, Seiva. Akairo to remain with Guild Scouts in their ongoing mission to recover the Abyssal Lagiacrus, Shurika. Ginouji and Seiva making their way back to Yukomo under Guild Hunter escort._

There was plenty here to digest but knowing that they were all alive was such a relief by itself that Rain had to sit down before she fainted. Shurika and Seiva were her primary concern naturally, but knowing that Akairo and Ginouji were safe as well was making her so emotional she could feel tears welling up in her eyes. They weren't just Alistair's babies, they were her's now as well and she'd give anything to see them come home safely.

Rain pulled her attention back enough to stand up and thank the Guild representative who had come to deliver the news to them. She thanked him so profusely that the young man actually started to blush a bit from embarrassment. When he was gone Alistair stood next to Rain and read the letter over.

"How are you?" Alistair asked gently. Rain shook her head and wiped some tears away.

"Relieved mostly. I mean... obviously Shurika being targeted by poachers isn't what I wanted but... I can't really say that I'm surprised either. She's a very rarely seen creature so the possibility of this happening has always been there. But knowing she's alive?" Rain stopped and let out a shuddering breath. "That changes everything for me. As long as she's alive, as long as the poachers want her alive, then there's hope of bringing her back or at least setting her free," she stopped and stared at the letter for a while before handing it over to Alistair.

"What about you? The news of Akairo and Ginouji splitting up is a shock but we don't have all the details yet either," Rain admitted.

"I'm... I'm not sure how I feel yet. I did raise them to be careful of humans individually but trust the Guild as a whole. So I can't say that Akairo going with them surprises me either since he's more comfortable interacting with humans then his brother is. Besides as much as I try to treat them equally both of them are smart enough to realize that Ginouji is my favorite," Alistair admitted. She folded the letter up carefully and wrapped her arms around Rain's waist. Rain sighed and let go of the tension that had been building up in her body for days now.

"Now that we finally have some idea of what's going on I feel like I can finally rest and make up for all the sleep I haven't been getting since this all started," Rain admitted. "I honestly feel like I could sleep the rest of today and most of tomorrow," she added wearily. Alistair leaned up and gave her a kiss.

"Go lay down for a while. I'm too excited now to relax anyway. I'm going to go tell my parents and I'll come right back wake you up if anything else happens," Alistair told her. Rain nodded at that assurance and let her forehead rest against Alistair's.

"Things are going to be okay aren't they?" Rain asked softly.

"I don't know, but I know Ginouji and Seiva are coming back and Akairo is going to help track down Shurika. So whatever happens we'll make it through this together. All right? You aren't going to lose me," Alistair said firmly. Rain nodded but didn't let her go.

Even with Alistair stepping up to support her, Jasper's death and the unexplained disappearance of her lagiacrus had left Rain badly shaken and more then a little sensitive. Storm and Sakala were already gone and the thought of possibly loosing Seiva and Shurika as well was almost too much to handle at times. Just knowing what was going on was a relief but Rain was still trying to fight back against the deep feeling of isolation that had started to well up inside of her again.

As much as Alistair relied on her her at times, Rain relied on Alistair just as much. She didn't have any close friends outside of her wife and in-laws. Although to be fair a lot of that was her own fault for always keeping people at a distance emotionally.

"Would you rather I stayed with you for a bit instead?" Alistair asked softly after silently examining her face for a moment. Rain could only nod, her throat too tight with emotion to say anything else. Alistair reached up to stroke her cheeks and wipe fresh tears away. "Then I'll stay. My parents can wait for a bit to get the news," she stated.

Rain just nodded and held Alistair tighter needing the reassurance and comfort she offered. She had already lost enough. She couldn't bear to lose Shurika as well.

* * *

Amai frowned deeply as she examined the Guild letter. It was on high quality paper, oiled and sealed to protect against weathering and stamped with a wax Guild mark. Everything about it screamed importance and it had been rushed to them via a mounted mail carrier on a monster she had never seen before.

"What exactly is that?" Amai said, her curiosity getting the better of her. The rider puffed up proudly at the question and a smile broke out across his face. Then again his smile was about the only thing she could see considering everything else was bundled up almost to the point of absurdity.

"A legiana. Ice element flying wyvern. The Guild managed to get a mother and some eggs transported back from the New World by one of the Argosy fleet ships eight years ago. Its a very new experiment but so far they've been serving as high speed messengers outpacing even the fastest lesser wyvern's available to the postal service so far. They can be very difficult to raise so they won't be expanding beyond specialized use," he said proudly.

"Wow this must be an important message to send you here from...?" Amai paused and raised an eyebrow.

"Misty Peaks central headquarters. Message comes from Yukumo village outpost specifically. Two and a half days straight flying with a few breaks here and there," he said. Amai's brain nearly stuttered to a stop at that information. Two days? Even the fastest lesser wyverns still took at least four and a half to five to up here and that was assuming the weather was good.

"I was told to deliver this message to you by hand and give you a full day to respond. Long enough to relax a bit before flying back but I can't wait longer then that for an answer. I'm not authorized to say any more but," he stopped and looked concerned, "It's an extremely time sensitive mission request ma'am. There's a personal letter in there as well," he added.

Amai had been worried before when she saw the clearly marked bright pink harness of a high speed message carrier on him but now she was even more concerned.

"My orders are to wait, make sure you read the letter, and then go to the Guild house for the day," he said clearing his throat pointedly.

"Oh! Right, urgent message," Amai broke the wax seal and flipped open the letter. Inside was a smaller one with Alistair and Rain's address on it. This couldn't be good and worry coiled in her stomach. She put that aside for the moment and read the Guild message first.

_This letter is to inform Amai and Teresa of a new high priority mission. A Guild protected, civilian owned Abyssal Lagiacrus has been stolen from the river area of Yukumo Village by poachers. Two Guild Scouts by the names of Shirakawa and Kurohana along with their mounts are already in pursuit of the criminal group. A Guild protected rathalos by the name of Akairo is accompanying them. It has come to our knowledge that Amai has a personal history with the lagiacrus and with Akairo. Therefore backup from Amai and Teresa is necessary immediately and travel arrangements are already being made. Guild School training and all other pursuits are to be put on immediate hold so this mission may take priority._

_Your mission outline is to track down not only the lagiacrus but to discover where the poachers have taken other stolen monsters as well. These possibly includes other civilian or privately owned creatures. This mission must be undertaken without delay. If it is not possible to accept then an answer must be clearly given so a different team can be informed and their help requested instead._

Amai looked up and stared out towards the inlet. The water wasn't visible from here but she could smell the water, fresh with just a hint of salt in it. She had to go. There was no question about that. This had to be serious for Akairo to be willing to leave not just Alistair but his brother as well. But what about Teresa? She looked back down at the letter.

There was a signature and stamp below along with space for Amai and Teresa to write in their names as well. Except they wouldn't know about Jade's death yet. Notification had already been sent from the Guild post here but even with priority mail it would still take a week to arrive at least.

"I have to confer with my partner first. Take care of your mount and I'll get back to you by..." Amai stopped and did some quick mental calculations, "By dinner in about six hours. There's a tavern called the Frozen Anchor. Two story, wood and stone building near the markets, two streets over from the Guild office. We'll meet there," she directed. The legiana rider had barely acknowledged her statement before she was off and running towards the baron's lodge.

Amai's adulthood rites were officially over and had only taken a full day to complete compared to the six days of mourning and memorial that Teresa's family was doing with her. Mostly her rites had consisted of a hunt with Raiden. After which she had dressed and prepared the kill for herself and her immediate family and relatives to eat along with spices and side dishes she had gathered during the hunt. Then a nighttime bonfire just with her community where they gave her gifts to celebrate becoming an adult. Although for her it was also a welcome back to the tribe as well.

Amai reached up to clutch the newly made wooden gammoth pendant her grandmother had carved for her to replace her childhood one. It was still pungent from the tree sap used to seal it from weather damage and the wild flower oil brushed on to keep it looking fresh and bright. Her father had made a new one of Raiden from a gammoth tusk he had been saving for trade. To use even a tiny piece of that for her instead of selling it in town for supplies was still a big deal. Other gifts included a new saddle and straps for Raiden, new saddle bags, clothing, a barioth saber tooth handled hunting knife, and clothing among other supplies.

Today was the end of the mourning period for Teresa. Publicly at least. Amai wasn't clear on all the details since some of what had been going on the past few days was religious and not for her to know. Aside from gathering supplies and making preparations to leave she had been making a special gift for Teresa and had been on her way to deliver it when the legiana rider swept in to deliver his message.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she ran uphill towards the lodge. She paused to catch her breath but one of the family members, Amai couldn't remember the exact relation, was already coming over to help.

"Amai isn't it? Are you all right? It must be important for you to come running the whole way up. I saw you from the base of the hill," he said in surprise.

"I'm... I'll be fine. Can I... see Teresa? Its... extremely urgent," Amai wheezed out. She flapped the Guild letter at him as evidence. Running regularly was one thing, running uphill in the snow was another.

"Sure come in and wait inside while I go find her," he said eyeing the letter with concern.

Once inside Amai placed her coat on a rack and removed her boots as expected before following her guide to a sitting room. There she collapsed into a plush couch beside the fire and sighed heavily in relief while he, Amai suspected he was a cousin who had come to port for Jade's memorial, went off to get Teresa.

While she waited, Amai opened the other letter that had been included.

_Amai, I'm sorry this letter couldn't come under better circumstances but I'm asking, begging for your help. I'm assuming you've already read the letter the Guild sent. Jasper is dead, he was captured by the same poachers that have kidnapped Shurika. They used him to try and lure her out, it must have worked but then he escaped. Too late and too traumatized to survive unfortunately. Shurika has been acting strangely the past few weeks. I haven't told anyone else yet because I'm honestly not sure but I think she may have laid eggs somewhere and hid them to keep them safe from humans. If she did and the poachers found them it would explain why they were able to capture her so quietly after Jasper called her._

_Ginouji and Akairo went out to try and track her down. They found Seiva and met up with some Guild Scouts like you. Akairo stayed with them and Seiva is on his way back home with Ginouji and a Guild escort. So I guess I'll be able to find out of my egg theory is true soon enough._

_But I want **you**  there. Akairo knows you and Shurika will remember you and Raiden. Even if you weren't a Scout now I would still ask you to go, this just makes it an official mission from the Guild._

_Please Amai I'm begging you. Please help bring Shurika back to us. Find the people who killed Jasper and stop them from hurting anyone else the way they've hurt me and Alistair. If you need anything then ask just please don't let them take her away from me like they did my brother and Sakala._

Rain's name was signed at the bottom and the paper was slightly wrinkled in a few spots like something wet had dropped on it. Amai couldn't imagine what they were going through right now. Rain had already lost her brother and one lagiacrus and now another had been taken from her. Only this time there might not even be the closure of knowing what happened to Shurika. Individuals who went missing for years rarely had a happy ending.

Amai had to go, she had to help, even if she went alone. If Raiden was captured and a friend she knew was capable of tracking him down they would be the first ones she asked for help as well.

"Amai?"

She looked up to see Teresa standing in the entryway. Her tired eyes fell down to the Guild letter sitting on the couch. She seemed to gather strength from the sight and her eyes sharpened with determination.

"What happened?" Teresa asked walking over to her. Amai saw the look on her face and knew what Teresa's answer would be even without asking yet.

"We've got a new mission and this one is personal," Amai told her. She handed the Guild letter over and watched as Teresa stood there and read it over. When she was done she glanced down to Amai's lap and she realized she had been nervously folding and unfolding Rain's letter the entire time.

"Sorry. I'm just... the people affected are friends of mine. They gave me a place to stay, helped me get back on my feet again after I left home, helped me see that I needed to come back and make things right. I owe them. I owe them a lot. I have to go and help," Amai told her. Teresa just nodded quietly and went back to staring at the letter.

"I meant what I said earlier. I do want you to come with me if you can but after what happened with Jade and these past few days..." Amai stopped and looked down at her hands and finished quietly by saying, "I understand if you've changed your mind."

Teresa grimaced and sat down next to her on the couch.

"There's a lot I could say but I keep coming back a memory of one of my cousins laughing at me as I ran around trying to get Jade to accept a flying saddle for the first time. She just kept ignoring me and walking away. He said a rathian as old as her would never accept a rider much less be able to learn everything involved with following a rider's commands," she stopped and smiled fondly.

"But she did accept me, she did learn, and she worked to understand me, to understand that I can't see out of one eye and my depth perception doesn't work like hers did. She learned to trust me when I could hear things that she couldn't or see things she didn't. I learned to trust her flying when I couldn't judge distances properly or my only eye was bad that day. She worked  _so hard_  for me. If I give in now, and believe me I really want to, then I'd feel like I put her through all of that work for nothing," Teresa confessed.

"Maybe I don't have Jade anymore, but I'm not... I'm not useless. I can help bring this monster back to people who love her," Teresa's voice cracked slightly on the words before she cleared her throat. "I want to help. I have to help. First the poachers with the tigrex and now this? I can't walk away," she emphasized.

Amai's senses tingled at that choice of words. She knew how sensitive Teresa could be about her vision and depth perception and she knew other kids had bullied her about it before. It was hard to resist the urge to speak up but Amai held herself back. Teresa may not have anything to prove to her, but she may need to prove it to herself.

"Then we'll do this together and we'll make sure those poachers are caught." Amai said unable to disguise her relief that her partner was coming along with her. Teresa smiled tiredly at her and rubbed her eye.

"Oh! I do have one more thing though," Amai said. Digging into her new, very comfortable, riding coat she pulled out the package she had wrapped.

"Its a charm. Like the one I have of Raiden. Made from gammoth tusk and polished with wild flower oils. Its of Jade. I thought... I thought maybe you might like it to help remember her," Amai said handing it over. Teresa unwrapped it and held the charm up.

"Its so... did you carve this?" Teresa asked in wonder. Amai nodded. "Its so detailed. Even the creases around her eyes and individual scales on her wings. How long did this take?" she said. Her fingers trailed over it in reverence.

"A couple days and many, many long hours. I haven't really be doing anything else outside of my adulthood rites because I wanted to make sure it was finished. I couldn't think of another way to show I cared so... I thought maybe this would be good," Amai explained. Teresa slipped it over her head to settle around her neck.

"I know only the native nations are allowed to take tusks from the gammoth and even then its considered extremely rare," Teresa said as she admired the craftsmanship.

"We only take 2 to 4 tusks a year if that. Gammoth grow very slowly so we don't want to hurt the herds unnecessarily and that's all we really need for personal use and to help buy supplies for the winter anyway," Amai explained.

"Its perfect. Thank you Amai," Teresa said warmly.

"Come on I'll help you get packed. We gotta have you looking your best for when we meet up with Shiro and Kurohana again," Amai teased. Now it was Teresa who blushed and shoved her away.

"Oh shut up," she mumbled, cheeks red. But it still made her smile and for that Amai was grateful. This could end up being a long mission and she doubted they would have much to smile about for a long time once they got started.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading everyone! The next chapter will probably be the last and might be a bit longer then usual but I can't say for sure yet. After that will be the third and final part of this series which I hope to have up at the same time or quickly after the last chapter here. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for the support!


	25. Setting Sail

Ginouji missed his brother. They had been apart before but never like this. Never for so long. Even as he saw home appear ahead of them he couldn't help but worry if Akairo was ok. Coming back with Seiva wasn't the choice he would have made but he knew his brother was right. Mother needed him here and so did Rain. The Guild would find Shurika and bring her back. Until then Akairo was helping them and they would see each other again someday.

Someday.

Ginouji sighed again and looked down below. Seiva roared happily as they came to the edge of the huge lake near home. They were back safely where they belonged. As interesting as it was to leave, Ginouji really hoped he didn't have to do it again for a long, long time.

Below the Guild boats were spread out heading for the shore while Seiva circled around them. They were carrying Shurika's eggs and he wanted to make sure they weren't damaged. There was a faint cry and Seiva's head whipped around, distracted from his brooding. It came again and Ginouji focused on a group of people down at the other end of the shore. A second later he realized it was mother and Rain waving at them.

Ginouji roared happily and turned in their direction racing along the shoreline until he was close enough to pull up sharply and land in front of them. Mother was already running towards him and Rain wasn't far behind.

"Mmma!" Ginouji called out to them. He lowered his head and mother threw her arms around him crying into his scales. Rain was right behind her hugging him tightly and whispering how happy she was to have him back. Rumbling softly, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of being home again.

"Ahhhkairo safe with Guild. Will find Shuriiiika and bring home. Said will come back with her. Told me go. Said mma need me," Ginouji said softly.

"I do..." mother managed to get out. "I do need you. I need you here so much. I miss your brother but I don't know what I would do without you," she confessed. Akairo was right. No matter how much time passed Ginouji would always be her favorite. They both knew it but Akairo didn't feel bad or hate him for it. He was just happy that mother had one of them here at home to depend on.

"Never leave you. Never ever," Ginouji promised. That made her cry even harder but he knew it was because of how happy she was to have him back. Reluctantly he pulled away and looked back towards the water. The Guild boats had turned and were coming up along the shore towards them.

"Seiva come home too. Came with Guild. Many things say to you," Ginouji explained. It wasn't long before Seiva was charging ashore heading straight for mother and Rain. Once he reached them he curled his neck and body around them as if he would never let them out of his sight again.

The Guild boats were pulling up into the sand and humans were very carefully lifting the baskets containing Shurika's eggs and carrying them up next to Seiva who lifted his head enough to watch them and make sure they weren't damaging any.

"So I was right. Shurika did lay eggs and hid them to keep them safe from humans who might find out. I can't blame her for not even letting me know considering her eggs were stolen once before. Having me around could have drawn attention to them even if she knew I was safe," Rain said as the Guild uncovered the baskets and started checking them all. "That's what the poachers used to capture her. They found her eggs and used that to get to her so she wouldn't attack isn't it?" she asked.

Ginouji snorted and bobbed his head in confirmation.

"Bad huumans. Stole eggs. Shurika go quietly to keep safe. Seiva found boat with eggs and smash. Had stay and keep eggs safe. Ahhkairo go after Shurika instead," Ginouji said. He couldn't help but feel proud of his brother for being willing to go and find her all alone. Well not alone but without anyone familiar around at least.

Seiva uncurled his body and lowered his head to the eggs as Rain approached. He let out a whine and nudged them gently. Rain reached out and gently ran her hands over a few before frowning.

"I know I'm worried about them too. Some of them have been cold for a long time and only a few are warm like they should be," Rain said softly. Ginouji dropped his head. Mother said eggs had to be safe and warm to hatch and grow like he and his brother had. Cold eggs meant they would never come out. One of the Guild people looked sad as well.

"They were packed well by the Guild Scouts we received messages from and should have stayed warm enough even with your lagiacrus here carrying them. We think the poachers may have been rushing and not covered them properly leading to heat loss. We might be able to save some of them but we'll have to act quickly and get some heat lamps or hot beds set up for those that are still alive," he explained. Rain hesitated and looked unsure.

"We are allowed to come with you aren't we?" mother spoke up.

"Of course. We'll take them to the local Guild headquarters here first. They have emergency supplies for situations like this. They can be monitored for a few days while researchers examine them and determine the best place for the survivors, if there are any, to grow up," he stopped and looked up at Seiva. "We will of course make sure your lagiacrus can see them and ensure they are being taken care of properly," he added quickly glancing up to the Ivory Lagiacrus still mere footsteps away.

Seiva snorted and lifted his head in satisfaction. Seeing his agreement Rain relaxed as well.

"Yes... yes that sounds fine. I want to try and save as many as possible," Rain said urgently. Mother put an arm around her.

"Lets follow them and make sure the eggs are taken care of. When we get there I'll stay outside with Ginouji and Seiva until things are set up all right?" mother said gently.

"Sorry I'm just overwhelmed. There's so much happening at once," Rain apologized. Ginouji gently reached out and nuzzled her. Rain reached up and hugged him again. He could feel her tears dropping onto his scales.

"Everything ok now. I'm home safe. Seiva home safe. Eggs get help. Ahhkairo find Shurika. Bring home safe too," he assured her.

"Thank you. Thank you so much for going. Thank you for bringing Seiva back here. I'm so glad you aren't hurt," Rain said to him. Ginouji felt warm all over hearing her gratitude.

Mother and Rain were both so happy to have him back here. As worried as he was about Akairo he was glad he had listened and returned home. They needed him here. They needed him here so very much and he was determined to never, ever let them down. Akairo would be back one day whether it was a few suns or many and he would make sure mother and Rain were ok until that day came and they could all be together again.

* * *

Kurohana breathed in the sea air and let it out with a sigh. The sun was just starting to come up and the ship was undergoing final preparations. If all went well they should be setting sail before noon. The cover story was that they were hunters coming to provide back up for a group of researchers who were further inland from Reaper's Coast. It wasn't true of course but it was perfectly plausible and that's all they needed.

"I'm honestly impressed that the Guild managed to throw all of this together so quickly. Although some nicer clothes would have been welcome," Shiro said. He made faces of alternating disgust and disappointment as he flipped through the clothes they had been given to wear. Kurohana glanced over at him and rolled her eyes.

"Oh don't give me that look. There's nothing wrong with looking good!" Shiro said defensively. Generally it was nice having a brother who took such care with his appearance and personal hygiene but there were also times when his nit-picking got on her nerves.

"There's also nothing wrong with blending in. Obake and Baburu will stand out enough as it is not to mention Akairo now as well. Every little bit will help," Kurohana reminded him. He merely hummed so she fixed her brother with a stern glare. "The clothes are fine and to be worn as is _Shirakawa_. That means no fancy accents, patterns, fringes, ribbons, or anything else you might think to add," she said pointedly. Shiro sighed and gave her an exasperated look.

"No self respecting seamstress, tailor, or clothier would put _ribbons_ on an outfit unless its special wear for rare occasions. They get caught on everything and have to be tied properly or it ruins the whole look," he shot back. Kurohana closed her eyes and said a prayer for strength. Her brother was going to drive her mad this morning before they even got on the ship.

"I'm just saying you can blend in and look nice without it being," Shiro paused and gave a strong side eye to the clothes they would have to wear, "Shabby," he finished.

"Well I'm sure Amai will be very sympathetic to your tale of woe when we meet up with her and Teresa at the port," Kurohana told him. His expression brightened at that reminder.

"So its confirmed then? Both of them are going to be joining us to look for our missing lagiacrus?" Shiro said hopefully.

"It is. Although the confirmation we received only mentioned Amai, Raiden, and Teresa. I wonder if something happened to Jade," Kuro said worriedly. There was a sweep of air above them as Akairo flew in and landed next to some barrels of water waiting to be loaded on the ship. Until now he had been circling above the docks along with Obake watching all the activity.

"Amai?" Akairo said cocking his head curiously. While they had only been with him for a short while, Kurohana was convinced the rathalos had supersonic hearing when it was convenient for him.

"That's right. She'll be meeting us across the ocean along with Raiden. Together we'll follow after Shurika and bring her home safely," Kuro told him. Akairo hummed and looked like he was thinking about that.

"Amai good people. Real hunter. Fight keep others safe. Feel better with her," Akairo said approvingly. He lowered his head to look at them closer. "Know Amai? Friends at Guild School?" he asked. Kurohana once again found herself surprised by his intelligence and understanding. Every time she made assumptions about how much he understood she found those expectations shattered. He also apparently had a very good memory. She would have to note that in the journal she had started just to monitor his behavior.

"We are friends and we were together a lot at the Guild School. We learned how to work better with our monsters and how to find those who were lost. Just like Shurika is. Together we'll be able to find out what happened to her for sure," Kurohana assured him. Akairo hissed and looked out over the water.

"Leave soon?" he pressed.

"As soon as we have enough water and food loaded onto the ship to last through the journey," she told him. Akairo growled at that and took off into the sky again. He was surprisingly patient for a rathalos but it was clear that patience was wearing thin. He wanted to leave and she couldn't blame him. But he didn't object, didn't get angry, didn't throw a tantrum the way she expected him to.

"Whoever raised him did a very good job. Not only tempered the rathalos' natural temper and arrogance but taught him how to be polite and patient as well," Shiro commented.

Kurohana silently agreed as she watched him fly in lazy circles with Obake over the port. Rathalos and rathian were naturally arrogant, jealous monsters. They were generally the biggest and baddest ones around and they always acted like it. They guarded their territory with a vengeance and wouldn't hesitate for a second to swoop in and drive off monsters that should outclass them. Akairo on the other hand was incredibly patient and got along well with Obake and Baburu, never getting pushy or demanding attention.

That's not to say he wasn't spoiled because he was, incredibly so in fact. That had become more evident after he politely but firmly declined a bath until Kurohana got some better smelling soap and stiffer brushes for his scales. Then it was making sure the gold band around his neck was cleaned and polished properly, especially the glimmering rubies in it. Then since she was already doing so much would she mind polishing his nails? And something in his teeth had been bothering him lately as well. Kurohana had put her foot down on the last two and Akairo's amused chuffing suggested that he just wanted to see how far he could push her.

He was remarkably intelligent, almost frighteningly so, and his curiosity was endless. Whoever raised him hadn't just picked up a stray rathalos orphan and fed him from time to time. They had very carefully and deliberately trained him in how to act, behave, and likely how to fight as well. Kurohana hadn't seen him truly fight anything yet but she had a feeling they would be in for yet another surprise when they finally did.

In truth she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about it even having been raised with Obake as her partner from childhood. It was one thing to raise a creature as a partner and learn to make use of its natural abilities in defense. But Obake and Baburu were domesticated. Carefully bred over generations for the best traits and an affinity for working and living with humans. But some monsters couldn't be domesticated, only tamed.

While Akairo wasn't wild he was still a very far cry away from the domesticated qurupeco the Guild had or the peaceful epioth local divers and fisherman worked with. Even if he was perfectly obedient to the people who raised him the fact was they weren't here right now and Amai, someone he at least was familiar with, was a very long way away. Even with domesticated creatures, Kurohana had long since learned never to make assumptions about what they would or wouldn't do under pressure. If trouble came, and it most assuredly would, then Akairo was under no obligation or inclination to obey them or anyone else for that matter. Why should he? They may be traveling together with a common goal but he didn't know them.

An extremely intelligent rathalos that was possibly trained to fight and who also had no real personal or emotional connection to them. He was here of his own free will and would do as he pleased. Currently that was following along with them because they could provide help to solve problems he couldn't fix on his own. But what if that changed? How did you control a monster that was never under control in the first place?

Clearly Akairo was used to roaming around freely which was to be expected but he wasn't home anymore. He wasn't in his home territory where everyone knew him and where he knew everyone. The ones who raised him may trust that they had taught Akairo not to cause trouble or hurt anyone but they were also individuals that he would view as family. And while rathalos and rathian had very strong familial instincts but Kurohana and her brother had no such connections to him.

As eager as Kurohana was to find and rescue this abyssal lagiacrus she also couldn't deny that having Akairo around was starting to make her increasingly uneasy.

* * *

"Here are the rooms. We got three total available for guests," the ship captain explained gesturing into the room. She was a tall wyverian woman with tan skin whose bundled clothing and glowering disposition suggested she was not at all thrilled by this cold weather. Her long red hair was braided through with a thin ribbon that had small seashells attached to it. Amai leaned forward to examine the space as the captain continued.

"Big enough for a bunk bed, storage in the wall, and a night stand. You can turn around in it and change and that's about it. Window opens just enough to ensure you don't suffocate in here, just don't forget to close it. Otherwise there are the hammocks below decks if you aren't as picky about sharing a room with several people. Gotta be willing to double up if you want a real sleeping pad and any kind of privacy," she told them.

Amai glanced over at Teresa who was silently staring down at her boots. Her eyes were puffy from crying and rimmed with dark circles from a lack of sleep. Considering how depressed she already was, Amai seriously doubted that Teresa wanted to bunk in a space with a bunch of sailors but it would be rude not to ask.

"Hey, is this okay?" Amai said gently. Teresa finally looked up and rubbed her eyes before yawning tiredly. She peered into the room and nodded quietly.

"Ok we'll take this then. Thanks for the help. Is there anything else we should know?" Amai asked the captain.

"Meals are ready in the morning one hour after sunrise, light meal or snacks at high noon, full dinner closer to sunset depending on time and weather. You'll hear the bell ring when its time to come and grab something. Food is on hand for your zinogre but feeding schedule and care is up to you. We'll be going down the coast line until we get to the southern hemisphere at which point we'll be going east to Reaper's Coast. That part of the journey will take a few weeks. Until then we'll be making brief stops regularly for fresh provisions and meat. Once fully out to sea however we might drop some nets to fish as we sail but its not always dependable. So preserved meat and fish will be on hand just in case. Not our problem if he gets picky about it," she explained with a firm look.

Amai quickly nodded to show she understood and was listening attentively.

"Bucket showers and toilets are down the hall. Foaming soap is available but keep in mind we only use heavily filtered sea water for cleaning. Speaking of which if you ever want something to occupy your time the filters always need cleaning and the cook could always use a hand in preparing food. Other then that stay out of trouble and try not to get in the way," she said. Her tone suggested that she had gone through this routine enough times that she barely needed to think about the words anymore.

"If you have any complaints about Guild transport conditions then let them know next time we're in port or via messenger halk if its urgent," she added stepping back as Teresa shuffled into the room and put her two bags down. The captain watched her for a moment before leaning in towards Amai.

"She all right?" she whispered in a kinder voice. Amai grimaced and shook her head.

"Lost her rathian partner just a few days ago. Very sudden and unexpected," Amai whispered back. She didn't explain any further. The fact that there were two Guild Scouts but only one monster on this trip said enough. The captain gave a grim nod at that information.

"Let me know if you need anything then all right? Name's Quen, my quarters are one deck above," Captain Quen told her, this time sounding a great deal more honest and less bored.

Amai murmured her thanks and let the captain slip past before entering the room and shutting the door. It really was cramped but Teresa was already sitting on the lower bed staring down at her boots again. Amai took a seat next to her and put an arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Do you need me to stay with you for a bit?" Amai said quietly. Teresa sniffed and made a futile attempt to brush a stray tear away only for more to start falling.

"You... you should probably check on Raiden," Teresa managed to say.

"Probably," Amai admitted, "But that's not what I asked," she pointed out. A weak smile flickered across Teresa's lips before it fell away, crushed under despair and misery. Her face crumbled as more tears fell, faster this time.

"I'm just... so sick and tired of crying. All I can think about all the time is Jade and how much I miss her," Teresa choked out, "I knew it was coming, knew from my dreams that she could... that she could..." she stopped and couldn't finish.

"Even if you knew, even if you were trying to prepare yourself its still a big loss. She was part of your life, part of your family, nothing can make that pain go away entirely," Amai said gently.

"Its not fair. I wanted more time with her," Teresa whispered. "I don't know what to do without her. I'm fine for a while and then it hits me all over again and its like I can't breathe," she confessed. "What am I supposed to do? How is it supposed to get better?" she added desperately.

"You find a way to cope. For some people they need to alone and mourn and others need their friends close by to keep them from being isolated," Amai told her.

"What do your people do? When someone close to you dies?" Teresa asked looking up at her with sad, desperate eyes.

"We write them a letter," Amai said honestly. "Everything we feel, everything we never got to say to them, the moments we still wanted to share with them, and places we wanted to visit. Anything that's weighing us down and that we wish we could tell them. For some it takes hours to write, some spend days, others months. But whenever they feel ready they tie up their letter with something sentimental and then burn it. After that they scatter the ash on the wind. It symbolizes their understanding that while the pain never truly goes away completely they aren't going to let grief consume them either. They will keep living and learn how to move on in life," she explained.

"Sounds beautiful," Teresa said rubbing weakly at her tears. Amai knew the kind of grief she was going through, had seen it plenty of times. She just wanted the pain to stop, to get better, to get some relief.

"If i wanted to... I mean... would you..?" Teresa trailed off, hope carefully woven through her tone.

"Of course I would. I think it would be a great way to honor Jade's memory," Amai promised. Teresa seemed pleased with that but her expression fell again a moment later when she saw her bags still on the floor.

"I feel like I barely have the energy to do anything anymore. I get dressed and get something to eat but by the time I'm done with that it feels like I have no strength left. I just don't want to do anything," Teresa admitted with shame laced through her voice.

"Then let me help. Why don't you take a nap. I'll put your stuff away later and then try to cut your hair the way you like. When that's done we can sit up on deck and watch the water for a bit. If you sleep until dinner I'll wake you up so you can eat a little bit," Amai offered. Teresa looked away and played with a loose string on her coat. She wanted to object, Amai could see that clearly, but both of them knew she needed the help and support right now.

"You don't have to do this," Teresa finally got out.

"Yes I do. You're my best friend and you need me right now. I may not understand everything you're going through but that doesn't mean you have to go through it alone, all right?" Amai said firmly. This time when Teresa started tearing up she could tell it was from feeling overwhelmed by her help.

"T-thank you. Thank you so much," Teresa said gratefully. Amai pulled her into a full hug, holding onto her until she felt Teresa relax and finally pull away. Amai let go and patted the bed.

"Sleep. I'll be here when you wake up," she promised. Standing up she tip toed around the bags and left Teresa to settle in for a nap.

She slipped down the small hallway and up the short stairs to the main deck. The huge ship was just starting to pull away from the docks and deckhands were scrambling to coil ropes, tie down barrels and crates, and make sure fishing nets were stored out of the way.

Amai slipped past to the railing and looked over. Raiden had his own space in the back of the ship along with a simple sliding window to look out of. Right now his head was sticking out and he was watching with rapt fascination as some sea creatures played around in the growing wake the ship was creating. That at least answered the question of whether or not he was doing ok.

Taking a deep breath of cold sea air, Amai closed her eyes for a moment to enjoy it. She opened them again and watched as the city started to draw further away. This was going to be a long journey and a rough one, but she was glad Teresa was here and it was a relief to know they would be meeting up with Shirakawa and Kurohana again. She missed him terribly, now more then ever.

She breathed in again and let it out slowly. There would be time enough to dwell on that later but she couldn't forget their reason for being out here. Shurika was gone and they were going to get her back one way or another.

* * *

Alistair slipped into the room and closed the door. In the center were heat lamps hanging over wooden nest boxes. Water bubbled up from below and from the sides keeping the boxes wet and the water up above the dark gray eggs that had been carefully placed inside. A large window was propped open allowing Seiva to stick his head inside. He gently nuzzled the eggs, occasionally moving sand away from an egg or pushing more in around one that needed it.

Rain was standing there with her arms crossed on the edge of the box as she watched. Alistair greeted Seiva with a soft hello and a stroke of his nose before going to stand next to Rain. She put an arm around her wife and silently leaned against her.

"Did you know that lagiacrus don't always need mates to reproduce?" Rain asked quietly. "Its rare, so rare that even the best researchers and sailors barely mention it. But its not unheard of for a female lagiacrus to lay eggs on her own despite no suitable male being in the area. Aside from observation part of the way you can tell is from the color of the shell," she continued pointing to one.

"Regular lagiacrus lay pale tan eggs near water in built up heaps of wet mud and leaves. Ivory lagiacrus lay pale blue eggs dug into the ground in moist dirt away from water. Abyssal lagiacrus lay dark gray eggs underwater in hollows or caves packed with sand," Rain pulled her hand away and rubbed Seiva's nose affectionately.

"If these were a cross between Shurika and a local male they would reflect that in the shell color. That's how sailors and researchers first identify crossbreeds in the wild or in sanctuaries. These don't show that and no other male's aside from Seiva have been spotted by anyone in the area Shurika prefers," Rain explained.

"Guess she really wanted to raise some eggs," Alistair said.

"Ever since she lost her first clutch she's never laid eggs again. Now she finally does and this happens. Maybe she would have been better off in the ocean somewhere after all," Rain said quietly. Seiva snorted at this and hissed firmly at her.

"I know, I know you both came here because you wanted to and you wanted to keep me safe. But I still feel bad about it sometimes," Rain admitted. Seiva seemed satisfied enough though and pulled his head back out. His relaxed posture suggested that he wasn't leaving this spot anytime soon.

"Amai will help get her back," Alistair assured her but Rain's weak smile said she wasn't fully convinced.

"I'm trying to hold onto that hope but its not easy know it will likely be months before they can even really get started on the trail much less find her and get back to us about it," Rain confessed wearily.

"Come on, lets go home and go to bed. Its been a long day for both of us. We can come back in the morning and Seiva will be here through the night to watch over them," Alistair urged her. Rain looked reluctant but allowed herself to be guided away and out of the room.

"At least now with Ginouji back I feel like I actually can stop and rest for a bit. I didn't realize just how much having him and Akairo gone was weighing on me," Rain said as they headed down the hallways. "But now he's home and Akairo is safe with the Guild Scouts. Even if the worst happens and only Akairo and Amai come back at least I know they cared enough to try and find her," she added softly.

"Why don't we stay with Ginouji outside tonight. I'm sure he'll want to stick close by for a while and tomorrow we can make a big feast for him and Seiva. Slow roasted aptonoth just the way they like," Alistair suggested. That did the trick and pulled a smile out of Rain.

"They do love it when I make that. It would be good to do something happy to get my mind off whats been going on lately. If only for a little bit," Rain admitted. Alistair leaned up and kissed her cheek.

"It's a plan then. Tomorrow we'll celebrate Ginouji and Seiva coming back and the fact that we could save some of Shurika's eggs," Alistair declared. Rain's weary eyes sparked to life at that.

"Its not as many as I would like but still the idea of seeing even a couple of them hatch and be released is... I want them to make it. For Shurika's sake at least," Rain said with excitement crawling back into her voice.

"We can come and visit in the morning when we come to the market to buy food for the celebration. I'm sure Seiva will still be around keeping close watch on them and we can see if anything has changed," Alistair offered.

Rain's arm around her tightened in love and gratitude and they walked out of the building. Ginouji was there waiting for them and stood up as they headed over.

"Come on, lets go home," Alistair told him. Together they walked towards home with Ginouji at their side once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading! I know you are eager to continue so I'm happy to announce that the last part of this series Dreadkings is up! Or will be up very shortly at least. Thank you for your support and continue on into part 3!

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel to the first part A Mother's Love. I have several chapters posted to ff.net already and will try to update this one quickly. Once I am caught up here new chapters will be posted to both sites on the same day. There will be time skips that are marked in the chapter titles.


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